Restaurant Efeze in Binnenstad

Very expensive for what you get. The panini, for example, is just a small bread roll with fillings. Absolutely no effort was made to make the plate look nice.

Just ordered two Aperol for 20 euros. We should have ordered sparkling water; it tastes the same.

Nice spot by the water, friendly service. Unfortunately, the lunch was very disappointing, especially considering the price. 17 euros for an avocado tomato burrata bagel; there was only half a slice of tomato on it and a sour avocado cream. Pancakes with fresh fruit; it was discolored fruit (apple, mandarin) and that was about it... in short, a bit disappointed for this very pricey lunch. Sometimes you think we'll give it the benefit of the doubt for that price, but in this case, once is enough, never again. The rest of the service was polite.

We came for a drink, stayed for dinner for the good service, and are coming back for the good food.

An atmospheric restaurant with a wide selection of snacks and drinks!

The food was fine, but nothing very special. There was a huge selection though; I only realized it was Turkish later because of the variety on offer. The service was friendly. I would eat somewhere else next time I'm in Leeuwarden.

The drinks were pricey, but that was to be expected for a hotspot in the middle of the city. I had ordered a panini; what I got was a pathetic sandwich with a bit of chicken, 3 lettuce leaves, cheese, chili sauce, and pulled chicken, with a surprise of spinach waiting underneath?? I think it was spinach because it tasted like nothing. Not fresh spinach or anything like that, but boiled and presumably from the freezer. The whole sandwich had become soggy from the moisture and tasted like nothing. A disgrace for a sandwich costing nearly €16.

Nice spot on the boat and ate Tavuk Kavurma. Top dish..👍👍

Efeze has a lovely terrace by the water, the perfect spot to enjoy a refreshing drink. I ordered a delicious mocktail and a bread board, and both were very tasty. The service was friendly and fast. Highly recommended! Unfortunately, there were people sitting behind us who were constantly playing loud farting sounds on their phones. That was distracting, of course, but Efeze can't do anything about that.

After the waiter dropped half of a beer over our dishes, this was 'solved' with a "I am sorry", and a half wipe of the table. The chicken was drenched in beer. No questions like can we do something else for you? Or replace the dish with something? I was so flabbergasted I could not even make a remark. I know Dutch service is general is bad, but this was a new low. The food itself is overpriced for what it is. It is very blend and mediocre.

No prices for the beer on the menu!? When I asked why not, the lady didn't know the answer; she had only been working there for 2 days. She did, however, politely tell me what the beer would cost when I pay later. Or is all beer €4.50? ;)

Nice, large terrace with the option to sit on a ship on the water. The service was friendly. The two of us ordered the Turkish platter. We had expected a bit more actual snacks for the price. It was a basket of Turkish bread with 3 spreads/dips, one feta/spinach 'cigar' each, and two tiny meatballs each that came out of the sauce. There should have been either extra meatballs or certainly extra sauce! Oh, and a small bowl of chickpeas, which were bland (no salt or pepper on the table to add yourself). The spreads and bread tasted really good. We felt that for €29, there were very few actual snacks.

Friendly service and ate a delicious salmon sandwich outside on the boat. While you're there, you can enjoy watching people on the other side or the boats sailing past on the canal.

A lovely restaurant with Turkish specialties right on the canal. The service was very friendly and the food delicious. The only downside was the long wait for the food.

We had a fantastic dinner at this restaurant. The staff was friendly, attentive, and the service was quick. I really enjoyed the draft Texels beer, and we tried four different dishes from the menu – they were all excellent. Thank you for a wonderful evening. We look forward to visiting again!

We had a delicious meal at this beautiful spot in Leeuwarden. We ate lamb kebab, an Angus hamburger, and a chicken burger. All the dishes were very good. The owner served us in a very pleasant and friendly manner. Top 👌

Had another mega delicious lunch at Efeze yesterday. I've eaten there a few times now, and it really is the place I keep coming back to whenever I want to have lunch or dinner in Leeuwarden. The staff is incredibly friendly and welcoming, and service is prompt. Plus, the food is truly delicious!

I didn't really like it and it was too expensive for what you get. It is a nice place to sit, though. The staff is friendly, but you do have to speak English with them.

Had a delicious meal on a barge in the canal. Fast and very friendly service!

Surprise! The waitstaff served water without it being ordered. The food was tasty, but the portions were small. When the final bill arrived, they said the entire table had to be paid at once. This wasn't mentioned anywhere, and it's outrageous. Absolutely not recommended.

After never having had a bad experience at Efeze before, I unfortunately really did have one since June 24, 2026. The attached photos of the email correspondence regarding this speak for themselves: even though you pay €31 for one plate of dinner and multiple guests at the table order the same thing, and three side dishes are supposed to be included per meal, you only receive one plate with three side dishes. I find this so incredibly peculiar and a waste of money. Then there are the peculiar reactions from the waitress as well. What is Efeze doing about this? Very little. I would say: take an example from other restaurants that allow you to top up the side dishes (without paying extra) to the maximum number of people seated at the table with a meal that includes the three side dishes. Very disappointing, unfortunately. Hopefully, you will improve this service so that we can dine with you again with a positive feeling.

Delicious Turkish food, prices on the slightly higher side but still reasonable. Friendly service and cozy atmosphere on the terrace by the water – but even better if the terrace were smoke-free! When we ran out of drinks, we were not asked if we wanted another one.

We ordered an iced coffee (ice latte or something similar) and an alcohol-free wheat beer. Those are just two items, so a mistake shouldn't really happen. However, my wheat beer turned out to contain alcohol. I find that absolutely unacceptable. I explicitly stated when placing the order that I wanted an alcohol-free beer. When I reported the mistake, the waiter indicated that he thought it was a regular wheat beer. That is precisely why my order should have been checked with extra care. I have an allergic reaction to alcohol and still had to drive afterwards. Fortunately, I discovered the mistake in time, but the consequences could have been much more serious. What if I had been a sober alcoholic or had been absolutely forbidden to drink alcohol for medical reasons? Moreover, to my surprise, the full bill was simply charged. I expect such errors to be taken seriously, especially when it concerns alcohol-free products where health and safety may play a role.

We had a lovely afternoon here on Whit Monday. Nice waitresses and the food was delicious too. Thanks!

Had a delicious meal at restaurant Efeze. Top service and a lovely atmosphere.

Phew, Friday night, taking a seat on the terrace to order drinks, and after this, everything went wrong..... one person's drink simply didn't arrive, while they did ask five times if we wanted to order food. After drinks just appeared on the tables around us without warning, and after a bag full of excuses, we still politely paid for the one drink and left the truly filthy terrace.

Welcoming! They are right at the door to open it for you, and then you are escorted to a table. A very beautiful place with friendly and helpful staff. Very extensive lunch menu and tasty! There is a corner for children at the back of the restaurant. The toilets are clean.

Always relaxing to sit here for a while, have a drink and/or something to eat.

Friendly service and a lovely atmosphere. There's no language barrier. The drinks are delicious. Highly recommended. 😊

Simply delicious. A must if you want to eat in Leeuwarden. The staff are all very friendly and the wait time is short.

Always delicious food at Efeze, and enthusiastic service 👌 this is highly recommended and you are well taken care of. P.s. whether you have a glass of wine or a cocktail, both are super tasty.

Once again, we had a delicious meal at Efeze. Truly top-notch. I had a tender leg of lamb from the oven and my good friend had grilled lamb steak. Both were absolutely finger-licking good. So tender it almost melted. Delicious! Great job and definitely recommended!! Until next time!

Had a quick drink with colleagues. The bill was 36 euros. I said they could make it 40. Two days later, I see 48 euros on my statement. Okay, I should have checked, but the waiter pushed the device against my card and it was debited immediately. Be alert to this. I will be skipping this place in the future.

We actually came for the Albert Heijn promotion: 2 dinners free. It turned out that the AH menu was fixed, so you couldn't choose your own menu. We don't like fixed choices and decided not to use the AH offer. We chose from the menu and man, was that delicious!! The mixed meat grill is especially highly recommended. And the portions you get are not small either; you get nice tasty portions. I didn't have to ask for more. The service was very good and not pushy. We lingered for a long time and enjoyed our dessert. Update: It was just King's Day today, so we ordered nachos deluxe. The chicken in the nachos was very tasty. The sauces were very small, though. I ordered Turkish coffee but the machine was broken, so I ordered a cappuccino. Unfortunately, they don't have sweeteners here and the staff told me I just had to use sugar. As a diabetic patient, that wasn't nice to hear. When paying, they charged me for the Turkish coffee as well. I did get a refund for that, but it was sloppy. All in all, this was the last time we visited here. If there are no sweeteners, bring it up in a customer-friendly manner.

Very nice restaurant, definitely a must-visit. Service is very friendly, beautiful spot on the canal, truly worth 5 stars. You really have to go there!

Lovely spot for a drink on the terrace.

Had couple of drinks and a bite before i came for dinner as well very delicious meals and super friendly staff. Also love the turkish vibes and music with the dinner.

The stars are for the drinks, but the service here is extremely poor. Got the 1st drink quickly, but for the 2nd I waited an hour with an empty glass. They just walk right past you while you look at them or raise your hand, yet they walk to other tables located right in front of you. Not recommended if you don't have all day to spare. With 5 waitstaff and an almost empty terrace, I expected better service. Left the terrace after the first drink. Too bad, I would have liked to have another drink.

I paid too much and asked if I could have the money back, but I didn't get any money back, only a gift card or a round on the house! While I only get my money back, there is no option to go back on the belt and no cash, it's bad here.

We ate here on Sunday evening. We ordered 4 tenderloin steaks and 1 sirloin steak. We had to wait an hour and a half, but were compensated with a bread board and a round of drinks. The tenderloin didn't look like tenderloin; two of them were very dry and grey. Unfortunately, we had to send them back. Afterwards, we were told by the waiter that they came from the freezer; he apologized for this. The next day, three of us became very ill, including me. Terrible stomach pain and vomiting; food poisoning. The restaurant denies everything.

Very tasty food, very nice & good service, and a really fun atmosphere!!🤩🔥 Definitely recommended!⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

We sat on the terrace on one of the first sunny days of 2026. It was indeed full, but when you're working with five people, I assume you see people sitting down to take orders or pay. And that wasn't just the case with us.

Delicious food and very friendly service. Valentine's Day, the place was packed. Plenty of staff. We chose Ephesus as a starter and a mixed grill. Very good. The red wine was a bit too cold, though.

Delicious food, very friendly service.

What a warm welcome! The owner saw us hesitating outside, so he immediately opened the door. "Welcome," he said, and took our coats... where else do you find that? Delicious food!!! I had the leg of lamb, and everything was delicious: the salad, the rice, the vegetables, mmm. My partner had the tenderloin steak, and it was beautifully caramelized. The homemade fries were good, and with the garlic sauce, everything was perfect, mmm. When the lights went out at our table and the two neighboring tables, he immediately brought three full ones with a big smile. The toilets were clean, and everything that came out of the kitchen looked amazing. Well, it's a bit more expensive than elsewhere, yes... but you get a fantastic evening in return. I'd love to come back.

Disappointing. The mussaka, which is usually made with eggplant, was a stew of tomato, ground meat, bell pepper, and mostly salt. No Turkish spices. A small dish in a small pan. It came with fries and wholesale garlic sauce. It's so easy to serve something fresh. And all for 28 euros! The (friendly) waitress responded that the chef was sometimes creative and offered to bring a drink. Nice, but the price-quality ratio is simply poor. Not recommended.

Delicious food, super fast and service-oriented. Highly recommended.

The food is amazing & the people who work there are really nice. 100% coming back!

The waiters, the restaurant's atmosphere and space, the service, and the quality of the products were all really great. However, the food, unfortunately, didn't quite reflect the classic taste of Turkish cuisine; it felt more like a different interpretation. Still, it's worth a try.

We happened to sit down for a drink. We also had some delicious cheese sticks. Music was playing in the background and a card was given, in short, great! The only difference was the slightly over-enthusiastic service, which meant you didn't have time to look at the menu, as they were already at your table before you even opened it.

The food was delicious, friendly staff and beautiful restaurant.

Pleasant restaurant and service, we were lucky, we were served by a Slovak woman, very pleasant and helpful. Food good, menu perfect for tourists, no long wait. Those who want can also have specialties. Prices acceptable. If we return to Leeuwarden, we will definitely stop by again.

Lunch for 68 euros for 3 people. 3x sparkling ice tea 3x hot chocolate with whipped cream 1x burger 1x club sandwich (with different toppings than listed on the menu) 1x Italian carpaccio roll The wait was longer due to understaffing. Friendly and helpful staff.

Yesterday I ate here with my cousin. I'm from a long way away from Leeuwarden. The food was delicious and fresh, and the staff was very friendly. Excellent.

Very attentive service, cool atmosphere, fair prices.

Last weekend I had the pleasure of enjoying a wonderful evening at Restaurant Efeze, a Turkish restaurant that truly exceeded all expectations.

I had lunch at this Turkish restaurant and really enjoyed it. I tried the lentil soup and a toast with sucuk (Turkish sausage). Both were very delicious and fresh. The place was also very clean and welcoming. Definitely recommended!

Super friendly service, great ambiance, good location in the city, and very fast and polite service. The interior is also very nicely designed.

Great service, friendly staff, good value for money, would gladly come again

Great location, super friendly service, simply fantastic. Delicious Belgian beer! 👍🍻😎

amazing food and very pleasant service, everything was great!!

The food is incredibly delicious and beautifully presented.

I had the Efeze Special at restaurant Efeze in Leeuwarden and it was truly delicious! The dish looked beautiful, with a vibrant color and fresh ingredients. It included crispy rolls, delicious warm dishes, spicy chickpeas, a fresh salad, and creamy tzatziki. Everything tasted delicious and perfectly complemented each other. You get a little bit of everything, making for a very surprising and enjoyable dish. You can taste the care and love put into the kitchen. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys delicious and varied food!

This is my second attempt at an honest review, after my previous one was wrongly deleted. Everything I describe here is based on our own experience. First of all, the food was disappointing. We had the "Ephesus Special," but it wasn't very flavorful and didn't look fresh. We therefore found the value for money inadequate. However, the service was the biggest disappointment. Two staff members at the entrance were on their phones almost the entire time, making it difficult to get their attention from the terrace (across the street). We weren't asked once if we were enjoying our meal, and our glasses sat empty for over fifteen minutes before we struggled to get through, even though only one other table next to us was occupied. Furthermore, a staff member accidentally spilled a beer on us. That can happen, but the handling was disappointing: apart from a brief apology, nothing happened. We had to remove our coats and scarves (it was February) because of the amount of beer, but no alternative, such as a seat inside, was offered. We only received a cloth after asking, which turned out to be dirty and greasy, making our clothes and phone even dirtier. Throughout our entire visit, we weren't asked if we needed anything; everything—from extra napkins to paying—we had to initiate ourselves. In short: the food is average at best, the price-quality ratio is unbalanced, and the staff's professionalism is lacking. We wouldn't return to this place, and certainly wouldn't recommend it.

We had cocktails here with some nachos. The atmosphere is pleasant, and the service was good. The staff were friendly. The only downside is that the cocktails are quite expensive.

The food was sooo amazing.. I was pleasantly surprised by the staff, they were quick and polite. Thank you for the great dinner!

a great experience for lunch on the boat in Efeze on the weekend. the staff are very friendly. this is a great destination in the summer

Restaurant Efeze is highly recommended! The food is fresh and delicious, with generous portions and beautiful presentation. The atmosphere is cozy and warm, making you feel immediately welcome. The staff is friendly and helpful, and the service is fast. The grilled dishes are especially excellent – ​​you can taste the care and love that goes into their cooking. Definitely a place I'd love to return to!

I had a great experience at Efeze. The food was served very quickly and was of good quality. The staff there were very friendly and welcoming, they always took care of you with a smile. The atmosphere at Efeze was very suitable whether I went with friends or with a large group. I have been there several times and will continue to come back to Efeze in the future.

I tried some really delicious food from this restaurant. We'll definitely be back. My girlfriend and I were very happy.

A nice restaurant with exotic but very good dishes. Wonderful ambiance right on the canal.

Drink prices are unknown; they're not listed on the menu. A 0.3 liter glass costs €5.70. You can argue about prices, but not knowing what it costs wouldn't be acceptable here.

Unfortunately disappointed in my experience considering the amazing reviews. While the staff is very very nice, i waited a long time for service for my whole meal. The waitress was lovely but did not know the menu or what the deals were so i got the Grill Menu and then waited a long time for the dessert because she didn't know it was in the deal. I ordered a wine twice which i never got and then of course it was on my bill which i had to ask for it off. Even though it wasn't very busy it was still very hard to get someone to help me. The food is just okay, not the most amazing food I've ever had. I had a mixed grill that came with 3 spoons, no forks or knives. When i wanted to get the bill the waitress disappeared for 30 minutes.

Het is altijd lekker eten bij Efeze. Of je komt voor een kopje koffie, tussendoortje, lunch of diner: het is altijd gezellig; de bediening is vriendelijk; je wordt snel geholpen en het eten is ook altijd lekker. Kortom zeker de moeite waard om een keer te bezoeken en het zelf te ervaren. Wij zijn in ieder geval tevreden over dit restaurant.

Never again!! Waited 45 minutes for two club sandwiches; when they finally arrived, they had tuna instead of chicken breast, old cheese, etc., so not what was on the menu. I told the staff, but they couldn't tell me anything other than that the owner wasn't in... The dishes were quite expensive, so you expect something good. Not so!

We experienced a lot of inconvenience from the owner's family. My wife and two young children were eating there at the same time as us. One of the children screamed for an hour and a half. It was terrible. We left early with a headache.

The food was cold, the soup was greasy and cold. The service was reasonable. Dirty tables and a bad atmosphere. They weren't vegetarian after ordering a toasted sandwich without salami three times.

A cozy little place to eat, with friendly staff and delicious food. If you're looking for something different, we recommend this restaurant!

The food is very good. The waiters are very friendly. The only thing, I would expect meats well done as default. You need to indicate meat preferences before ordering it.

Service was poor. Ordered meatballs for 4 people. Received them for 2. Had to reorder, which took a long time. Mixed grill was lukewarm and raw. Sorbet was 3 scoops of ice cream on a plate without any fruit. We had to pay €246 for 4 people. The food was definitely not worth the price.

Quite expensive, but the food was really good and the staff was nice too. Was nice meeting someone who spoke hungarian. :D

We had to wait an hour for a bowl of tomato soup and chicken with rice, after an hour we got up and paid, luckily we didn't have to pay for the food. Service was very bad, they mumbled, weren't very clear and very unprofessional. People who came in 20 minutes later than we had ordered got their food earlier, and that was a bigger dish than we had ordered. All in all very bad and not recommended.

as someone who really struggles to find a good matcha In Leeuwarden, the one here has an amazing taste

Mojito = sparkling water with a little mint and lots of ice cubes and lots of lemon (juice). For the price of a mojito: very sour.. The food looks tasty though.

Lovely sitting on the terrace. We were allowed to sit down and we were quickly helped by an incredibly sweet girl. Both the drinks and food came quickly and it was delicious! Really recommended!

Ambience is ok, service is disappointing, I asked for a spoon several times, never got it. Food is tasty but far from real Turkish quality, so it was disappointing, way too expensive, I paid €30 for 2 adana kebab skewers, you get little for your money

The food and atmosphere are excellent at this restaurant. The waiters are very attentive and friendly. It was the best meal I’ve had in this city.

Nice to sit on the boat. The Latte was mediocre, tea lukewarm. Croquette sandwich nice, the club sandwich not my taste (that is of course possible). The prices are on the (too) high side. Nice for once

We ordered a steak, but it didn't come because they forgot about it. I understand that sometimes happens. But we were disappointed when they finally brought the steak. It was a big baguette with onions and a few pieces of meat. It was definitely not a steak. The service was good, the food and drinks were good, but we will definitely never order steak again.

Visited Efeez recently and had a mixed experience. The food was just okay, flavors were alright, though nothing that really stood out. The ambience inside was okay, nicely decorated and comfortable for a casual meal. The service was quick and attentive. Overall, not a bad place, but there’s definitely room to improve.

The food was good. The service was sloppy... (e.g. putting food on the table and forgetting the plates) AND I find it very annoying when I am spoken to in English. (Furthermore there was a group of noisy young men).

Heerlijke locatie, terras op een dekschuit op de gracht, midden in Leeuwarden. Vriendelijke bediening, heerlijke Turkse gerechten !

Today we visited Ephesus on Mother's Day. We arrived around 12:30 and it was not busy at all. We first ordered something to drink (two smoothies and a coffee), but it took about 15 to 20 minutes before we received it. I also asked for a carafe of water — I ended up having to ask three times, and finally picked it up myself. The food took a little longer to arrive, which is understandable given the crowds on Mother's Day. Once the food arrived, it was noticeable that the croquette sandwich and the fries with the club sandwich were served without any sauce. So I thought: “I'll ask for some mayonnaise.” Unfortunately, it only came after asking twice, when the food was actually already gone. Very unfortunate. The food and drinks themselves were really a big 10 — delicious!

Super tasty, service from Rowena was the best. She was friendly and welcoming, fantastic.

Rowena is really a great waitress!! Give her a promotion now!! I have never met such a nice waitress!

Service top notch but really shocked by the bill. Beer price was not on the menu so I paid €21 for 2 large and 1 small Heineken. This price is ridiculous while the location and service are top notch. I like sitting there but this really shocked me!!

Buratta sandwich eaten scandalously expensive, scanty and not fresh. Was served a buratta that was hollow on the inside, with a very minimal amount of pesto. It looks a lot like the map.

Had a delicious dinner, highly recommended and prices are reasonable

First day a delicious snack board. Very well filled and a delicious dinner 2 days later. We thought it was all of very good quality and you can see and taste the care that went into it. Moreover, very nice staff. And no problem that not everyone speaks Dutch. Highly recommended

Everything fine but not innovative.