Istanbul Mediterranean to Replace Flippin’ Good on Fremont East

By Scott Roeben, on May 10 2025
3 min read 8 comments
Downtown Las Vegas Las Vegas Las Vegas Restaurants

Istanbul Mediterranean is coming to the Fremont East entertainment district in downtown Las Vegas.

The restaurant will move into the space vacated by Flippin’ Good Chicken, Burgers, Beer. That downtown fixture closed in Jan. 2025. (Hint: It’s the rents.) We loved the place other than the country music.

Istanbul Mediterranean joins Taco Escobar (former Smashed Pig space) and Daphne’s Cocktail Lounge (previously the Downtown Cocktail Room) in the Inspire building once owned by Tony Hsieh.

If you aren’t a fan of Mediterranean food, it’s a pita.

Istanbul Mediterranean has a track record in Las Vegas. There’s another location in the Grand Bazaar Shops at Horseshoe.

Here’s what the restaurant says about itself: “At Istanbul Mediterranean, our story begins in the heart of Turkey, where food is more than a meal–it’s a celebration of family, tradition and togetherness. Our recipes are rooted in the rich history of the Ottoman Empire and shaped by the vibrant cultures along the Silk Road and Mediterranean coasts. Each dish we serve is a reflection of our family’s heritage and the centuries-old culinary traditions passed down through generations. We are proud to serve 100% Halal-certified meats and honor the values of ethical sourcing and traditional preparation. At Istanbul Mediterranean, we invite you to join our family table and experience the true taste of Turkey—where every meal is a journey through history, and every guest is treated like family.”

We’ve never understood this “treating people like family” thing. We aren’t making dinner for our family. They are very nice people, but we aren’t cleaning up their dirty dishes. Do these restaurants charge their families for dinner? That’s weird.

The mix of bars and restaurants on Fremont East make it worth checking out. In recent years, vagrant pestering has dropped nearly 60%.

Istanbul Mediterranean at Grand Bazaar Shops is more of a stand than a restaurant, with fast-casual Turkish and Mediterranean fare. We hope the restaurant owners invest in better menu photography for their new location.

Their menu features doner wraps and pitas stuffed with your choice of beef and lamb, chicken, or a mix of both, seasoned with authentic Turkish spices.
Guests can opt for rice bowls, crispy fries bowls or salad bowls topped with freshly grilled meats or falafel. Popular sides include falafel, creamy hummus, mozzarella sticks and onion rings, while dessert fans can indulge in flaky baklava or traditional Turkish ice cream. For drinks, Istanbul Mediterranean offers soft drinks and yogurt-based beverages.

We have no idea if any of this is accurate, as we have never been there, but that’s what the Internet says and the Internet is infallible.

A doner wrap is a popular street food that originated in Turkey and is a variation of the famous doner kebab. It combines seasoned rotisserie meat with fresh veggies and sauce, all wrapped in warm, soft flatbread.

We were hoping to make a “doner party” joke here, then realized that reference is now 179 years old, so nevermind.

Yes, we also looked up “halal-certified” because we don’t get out very much.

Here’s what the Internet says: “Halal-certified food adheres to dietary guidelines outlined by Islamic law, ensuring that the food is permissible (halal) and meets specific requirements. For meat to be halal, it must come from an approved animal, such as beef, chicken or lamb, and be slaughtered by a Muslim who recites a prayer invoking the name of God (Allah) before the act. Additionally, the meat must be healthy at the time of slaughter and fully drained of blood. Halal guidelines extend beyond just the meat itself. For example, any processed ingredients, such as sauces or oils, must also meet halal standards, meaning they cannot contain alcohol, pork or any pork by-products. Halal certification is provided by recognized certifying bodies after ensuring that the food preparation, cooking, and packaging processes comply with these rules.”

We have accidentally fascinated ourself.

Mostly, we don’t care to think too much about the animals whence our food came, so let’s just say we’re looking forward to trying Istanbul Mediterranean when it opens on Fremont East.

Smashed Pig Gastropub
The neighborhood is changing a smidge. Hang in there, Griffin.

Thanks to eagle-eyed tipster @Jaybirdvegasnv for yet another Fremont-related restaurant scoop.

All the major cuisines are now covered on Fremont East, except Italian. There was a meatball sub truck for awhile, but Italian is definitely lacking in this neighborhood.

The most popular restaurant cuisines in America are American (Eureka), Italian (hello, anybody), Mexican (La Mona Rosa, Taco Escobar), Japanese (Sushi Ichiban), Chinese (Hot Noods, just opened at El Cortez), Mediterranean/Middle Eastern (Istanbul Mediterranean), Indian (forgot, Fremont East could use Indian, too) and Thai (Le Thai).

The sole available space in the (closed) Inspire building is now the Inspire space. You’ll know when we do.