El Turco Design District

We went for lunch on 2/21/2026. Food was decent overall, but the service was pretty spotty. Our first server forgot to bring water. The second server who delivered our food also didn’t bring water. We finally had to flag down a third server to get it. Meanwhile, there was a teenager going around refilling water for every other table — except ours. It was honestly kind of odd. We were also told they were out of lamb, which was surprising since lamb is featured throughout the menu. It’s our favorite protein, so that was disappointing. We ended up ordering two protein bowls. The grilled chicken was delicious and well-seasoned. The braised beef, however, was bland and not very tender. One thing to note: they automatically add a 20% gratuity for all parties.

El Turco in the lively Miami Design District continues to impress. The setting is vibrant and welcoming, and it is easy to see why they have maintained Michelin recognition from 2022 through 2025. Every dish we tried was beautifully prepared and full of flavor, and the service elevated the entire experience. A special thank you to our waiter Rauf, who made us feel truly at home and ensured we were taken care of throughout the lunch. An exceptional dining experience from start to finish.

Love seeing small restaurants expand ⭐️ 2nd Floor near the food court. Living in this area I have been going to El Turco in Buena Vista since it opened. Happy to have it expand to the design district as it his area needed some more small easy dinning. Give this place a try if looking for something casual yet delicious while shopping! The food was good and the service even better. You can tell it’s still a bit new as our mains took quite some time to arrive with the lunch rush.

The lamb was perfectly cooked — tender, flavorful, and absolutely delicious. The staff were very kind and welcoming, which made the experience even more enjoyable. We also loved the house-made tea; it was unique and refreshing. Overall, a wonderful dining experience, and I would definitely come back again.

The place is very nice and located in a great area within the Design District. The décor matches the concept well and the atmosphere is pleasant. What I honestly do not understand is how Michelin rates or selects some of the restaurants on their list. In this case, there are no physical menus, everything is through a QR code, which I believe makes the experience less enjoyable for the customer. The service was not good. When we arrived, no one greeted us; we just sat down. At first, we thought we had to order at the counter and then sit, but that was not the case. The staff was not rude, but there was no real sense of service either. The food is good, but there is no wow factor that makes you think this restaurant deserves to be on the Michelin list. When it came time to pay, the payme