The secret is out! This restaurant used to be a local favorite and it was a hidden gem. Now the…read moresecret is out. Everyone knows how delicious the potato pancakes and the shish kebabs are. Their sample platter is filled with various samples of the local cuisine and a must try for any traveler. I need to mention the potato leek pancakes again. They were my favorite. Come share in the not-so-secret secret!

Amazing food with great atmosphere. I love restaurants where people sit on the streets drink, eat…read moreand have fun in the process. This was a great example. We tired few dishes the best was the egg plant with minced meat and rice. Very similar to middle astern Musaka. There was a Turkish street singer on the next table which med the atmosphere even more enjoyable. Service was great and very friendly staff. I would definitely recommend and would come here again next time I'm in Istanbul

Excellent food! Incredible view! Good service. It's right next to bosphorus so there is nothing…read morebetween you and one of the best scenes of istanbul. It's a real elegant place. No hairy rich contractor bellies, dipped in raki (Rakıya bandırılmış kıllı müteahhit göbeği) . Places by the bosphorus are filled with them, not here. So it's the ideal place for a romantic evening They have awesome fresh tapas. But usually turkish dishes, and tapas' derived from mezes.

This is fabulous!! The view is spectacular and the food and service delightful! I highly recommend.read more

Went on a date at Galliard to enjoy an amazing meal in Vadi Istanbul…read more For drinks, we ordered the Virgin Bloody Mary and Mojito. The bloody mary was spicy and fresh. The mojito was zesty. For starters, we ordered Crispy Manti, Turkish meat dumplings pan-fried topped with tomato sauce, and yogurt. The Manti was exquisite and soft. The tomato sauce gave it an amazing touch. I recommend it. For the main dishes, we ordered the Seafood Risotto and Rib Eye Steak. The seafood risotto had jumbo shrimp, mussels, and squids. It was creamy, and light, and the tomato give it Umami. The steak was cooked to medium done, it was tender and juicy. Came with mushrooms, fries, and Demi-glace sauce. For dessert, we ordered the San Sebastian cheesecake, it was custardy and light. Served with chocolate sauce. And it finish our dinner we ordered Turkish coffee, it was okay. The staff were friendly, fast and spoke English. The whole experience was pleasant and pretty close to perfection.

This is a place to drink Raki not talk politics, as I was told. Seriously, there is a rule not to…read moretalk politics here. Raki is too serious a drink and the mix of that and political emotions can be an explosive mix. Ask the server there about this unwritten rule (if you can get someone to translate for you). A small quaint place off the tourist beat. I found this on a tour with the fantastic guide by the name if Katerina. Check out the Culinary Backstreets Tour of Istanbul.

This place is to die for. Promise…read more This was our very first non-airport meal in Istanbul and we loved it. We went in here after walking up and down the little restaurant street twice. Since all the waiters will be trying to cajole you into their restaurant, you need to walk with a determined look on your face while casually letting your eyes survey in your peripheral vision. When we got to the end of the street, my friend and I turned to each other and surprisingly both said "the one with all the world flags hung up inside?" "Done." So we walked back down the street with the same determined look in our eye, avoiding all the charming waiters except the one for this restaurant. We got seated at the very top, where we got a nice view of the street. We had two appetizers and one entree each: the sarma, caviar, coban salad and a kebab dinner. I can't say enough good things about the sarmas. Nothing I have ever tasted before in any Turkish restaurant in the US compares. At all. Needless to say, we wiped all our little plates clean and were satisfied until the next morning, when we ventured out for a pastry shop breakfast.

This was a good restaurant and I was not disappointed with my experience here…read more The food was very good and the service was friendly and attentive. They were very flexible since they allowed all 7 of us to use 7 different credit cards to pay for the group meal, which was very helpful. We ordered a couple of bottles of red wine and they arrived slightly chilled, which was perfect for those hot evenings in the summer. I'd recommend this restaurant if you're in the area.

We ended up in Bej after planning to stop by Lokanta Maya for dinner without a reservation (on a…read moreMonday night) and learning there were no tables available. Desperate to avoid the row of tourist traps along the water, we asked the staff at Lokanta Maya if they could point us in the direction of another good restaurant in the area, and that's how we found Bej. The ambiance here is upscale/ classy/ trendy, but not stuffy. There was a huge display of gorgeous fresh flowers greeting us when we walked in, and we managed to snag the only unreserved table in the place. The menu offered a good selection of food, all slightly interesting twists on classic meals. The three of us split a bottle of wine from a moderate sized wine list, and started off with a couple of appetizers. There was a slightly spicy chicken dish we ordered that was delicious. For a main course I ordered the baked goat cheese, which was described as being served with beets and arugula. Perhaps the description in Turkish was more accurate, but I was depending on the English version of the menu, being a foreigner and all. When my meal arrived it was actually mostly a large bowl or salad, with a largish sized baked goat cheese on top. The flavor was great, and it was warm and creamy. The beets were difficult to find, but were eventually discovered hiding at the bottom of my bowl. While it wasn't the most delicious flavor combination, it was still really good, and I enjoyed the meal. We finished things off with a selection of ice creams: Rose, lavender, and chocolate. This was the perfect ending to a meal, and the unique flavors were a definite treat for the taste buds. Don't skip the chocolate because it is typical though- it paired wonderfully with the other flavors and really made them even more enjoyable. Another cool discovery at this place is back behind the bar area, there is actually a little shop which is open during the day. It is filled with cool items (from paper, prints, home decor items) that all have a unique and slightly funky flair. Much better for potential souvenir shopping than your typical tourist traps.

Peymane is a good place to go to for some appetizers and meat dishes. It's a bit hard to find…read more(signage could definitely be better but you have to take an elevator from the lobby of a hotel to the top floor). There are very limited vegetarian options, and the place doesn't have any seafood on their menu. Humus is pretty good, meat was good but there are better and cheaper places in Istanbul. It's convenient if you are staying nearby but I wouldn't be making a special trip to come here. Staff is very friendly and accommodating.

- 5 stars for the atmosphere - So much food…read more- skip the hummus, try the haydari or ezme - A+ service

A must-try for tourists!…read more The food is absolutely delicious, with a menu offering traditional Turkish dishes. The ambiance is modern yet maintains a relaxed, upscale vibe, making it perfect for both casual outings and special occasions. They are famous for their mezes, and I highly recommend the levrek marin and fava. For mains, the hunkar begendi is amazing! The service is fast, friendly, and attentive, adding to the overall great experience. It's a classic if you're in Istanbul. Also, it's in of the best area to hang, tons to see around. Highly recommended!

I was excited to try this place but found the food to be just okay. Maybe I picked the wrong items?…read moreI am not sure. We ordered the grilled artichokes, pickles, potato croquettes, and beef tenderloin. The artichokes were my favourite - so delicious! Everything else was alright. It was all cooked well and seemed fresh but I found the price to be a bit expensive for what it was. I've had better meals for much cheaper in Istanbul. One thing I didn't like was a 50 lira charge per person for cover? And our water was not free. On top of that, a 10% service charge. Not really happy about being charged cover and a service charge but it is what it is. Service was good and our food came very quickly.

Amazing burgers and the rib meat was tender, easy to chew, and delicious! (Of course). I ate at…read moreGünaydın in Dubai for the first time and not disappointed at all. The original, in Turkey, is still the best.