Ottoman Kebab in Side: Cheese-Topped Beef on a Clay Plate at Hawaii Restaurant & Bar

The Ottoman kebab at Hawaii Restaurant & Bar in Side old town is beef cooked on a clay plate with tomato, onion, mushroom, green pepper and garlic, finished with melted cheese and served with rice and chips. It's part of our Turkish Specialities menu, available every day from 10:00 until 02:00.

What Ottoman Kebab Means at Hawaii

Ottoman kebab is a dish that changes from region to region in Turkey — ask five different kitchens and you'll get five different plates. So let's be precise about ours. At Hawaii, Ottoman kebab is beef with tomato, onion, mushroom, green pepper and garlic, topped with cheese and cooked on a clay plate. That's the whole recipe, straight from our menu, and it's exactly what lands on your table.

The clay plate matters. Clay holds heat, so the dish arrives properly hot and stays that way while you eat — cheese soft and melted over the beef, the vegetables cooked down with the garlic underneath. It comes with rice and chips on the side, which makes it a complete one-plate dinner rather than something you need to build a table of extras around. We've been cooking in Side old town since 2000, with ingredients bought fresh daily, and honest, hot, unfussy dishes like this are a big part of why people keep coming back.

Who It's For — and When to Order It

Order the Ottoman kebab when you want proper Turkish comfort food rather than another grilled skewer. It suits anyone who likes beef, melted cheese and soft, garlicky vegetables — which, in our experience, covers most of the table. And because rice and chips are included, it's a safe pick for hungry adults after a beach day and an easy sell for teenagers who insist they "don't do Turkish food".

Timing-wise it's a natural evening dish, but we're open daily from 10:00 to 02:00, so nothing stops you having it as a late lunch or a slow dinner while the karaoke stage warms up. Eating with children? There's a kids menu and alcohol-free kids cocktails, so nobody has to compromise.

What to Drink With It

Beef, cheese and garlic can carry a proper drink. A cold beer is the simple route — it cuts through the richness without stealing the show — while a Turkish red is the classic partner for a beefy clay-plate dish; our Turkish wine guide walks you through the local bottles worth knowing. And if you want the full Turkish table experience, a glass of rakı alongside a meat dish is a tradition all of its own.

On holiday and feeling less serious? Have a look at our signature cocktails and frozen cocktails guides for something colder and sweeter before the food arrives. Arrive between 19:00 and 20:00 and you'll catch our daily Happy Hour — and the full, current drinks list is always on the live menu.

Where It Sits on Our Menu

The Ottoman kebab lives in our Turkish Specialities section, close cousin to the testi kebab, our other showpiece from the same tradition of cooking in clay. If that style of eating appeals, our guide to clay pot and casserole dishes in Side maps out the whole family. Not sure how Ottoman kebab compares with adana, şiş and the rest? The Turkish kebab atlas walks you through the styles worth knowing. Meat eaters who can't commit to one thing usually land on the mixed grill from our real wood fire and charcoal grill — but if this is your first Turkish meal of the trip, we'd argue the clay plate is the place to start. For the bigger picture, here's our case for being the best Turkish restaurant in Side.

Prices, Booking and Getting Here

We don't print prices on this page — today's price for the Ottoman kebab is always up to date on our live menu. You'll find us on 512. Sk. in Side old town (Manavgat, Antalya), open every day from 10:00 until 02:00.

Staying in a hotel around Side? We offer free round-trip pickup from selected hotels, and an affordable two-way transfer if you're further out — details in our free hotel pickup guide. Message us on WhatsApp at +90 533 930 12 83 to arrange it, or book a table online and we'll have it waiting. We do takeaway and nearby delivery too, but a dish cooked on a clay plate is at its absolute best straight off the heat — come and have it hot.