Mangal 1

Approaching Mangal 1, you’re greeted by a theatrical plume of smoke, glowing in the evening light like a signal from the chef himself. The air hums with the crackle of coals and the rhythmic hiss of sizzling fat, as rows of skewers rotate under the watchful eyes of chefs who could probably grill in their sleep. Passing through you step into a dining room that feels like a love letter to an alternative Turkey. The walls are adorned with surreal, crass, and wonderfully crude collages, like a mishmash of kitsch postcards and fever dreams. It’s art that teeters between bad taste and brilliance, but somehow, it charms you. It’s unpolished, unapologetic, and perfectly at home. The food? Dishes flow seamlessly from the grill, carrying with them the unmistakable scent of flame and smoke. No frills, no unnecessary embellishments—just honest, vulnerable food that tells its story straight. Each bite feels like an embrace, transporting me to the small open-grill barbecues of Karpaz, a Turkish village where the scent of charred meat mingles with the sea breeze. And the service? It’s as if you’ve wandered into the family home of a relative you didn’t know you had, and they’re determined to make sure you never leave hungry. The staff glide between tables with an ease that’s both comforting and unobtrusive, making sure everyone feels looked after, no matter how busy it gets. Sitting amid the hum of chatter and clinking glasses, Mangal 1 offers honest food, soulful service and walls full of cheeky art.

Definitely the best Turkish I’ve ever tasted, couldn’t quite believe how flavoursome and succulent everything was. A really iconic restaurant and perfect for a special occasion.

This is a place where we take out of town guests to demonstrate that you can eat well on a budget in London. I do love the food here, but should get over the noise level and come more often. It's a BYO with a Co-op on the corner of Kingsland Rd and Arcola St which is the nearest place to buy wine. Our most recent visit included a discrete celebrity sighting of Gilbert & George at the next table. Last night, for a table for four, we requested two orders of the warm Patlacan Salata as a starter to mop up with complimentary Turkish bread. Smokey, charcoal infused mashed aubergine puree with chunks of peeled red peppers and a dollop of labneh. In my opinion the best mezze on the menu. We also ordered the terrific grilled onion salad from the sides menu. This arrived with our mains. The onions are blackened slightly over charcoal, sweetened with pomegranate molasses and spiced with sumac. Our mains consisted of a shared platter of dry grills. Two orders of lamb shish (better than the smaller cubes of cop shish that can sometimes be dry), and single orders of pirzola and chicken wings. I prefer the skin on poultry options such as chicken wings or whole quails (if you don’t mind the fiddly size) over the skinless chicken shish. They bring chilli sauce but if you want to dip your meat in yoghurt order a cacik starter to arrive with your mains. Alternatively, you can order a yogurtlu main but these are harder to share. Mangal1 is very well priced. It is a BYO where dinner for 4 came to 90 before service. At 19:30 on a Sunday we needed to queue maybe 10 minutes. They only take bookings for large groups. It's a noisy bustling place, so suitable for groups of friends, but maybe not a date.

Classic old Mangal 1 started in 1991, very Traditional classic Turkish hidden gem. Warm staff. Simple service and great food. Nothing much to talk action and food talks about itself.

Fantastic Turkish food in a vibrant, bustling little restaurant. There’s always a line but it moves very very fast. BYOB is a great addition, it’s perfect for big groups or just a quick meal out. Can’t skip the lamb chops, the Adana and the eggplant salad.

Amazing food and service. The meat mix platter was so delicious and also the bread and hummus. Oh and that eggplant was probably the best!

I had a fantastic meal at Mangal 1 – honestly, some of the best kebab I’ve ever had. The food was fresh, full of flavour, and perfectly cooked. The customer service was excellent – the staff were really friendly, helpful, and always smiling, which made the experience even better. It’s a great spot for delicious Turkish food in a welcoming atmosphere. I’ll definitely be going back and definitely recommend it!

Absusulutly love the ambiance the staff were unsurprisingly great years of expertise in feeding the great mr rick stien , perfection yes it was all they said people sneaking in the place very beautiful , should I say it's just of Dalston high street near a Cuban cocktail bar called the tipsy bar so any how the nice hummus to start a meal you can't forget or come back from you need the expireance in tasting those coffers kebabs and the other beautiful fabulous tastes of the mangal famouse restaurant here in the Hackney . Although no liquor licence i suggest going to a little shop across the road so great.