Thanks to one of my friends I finally had chance to come to Agac Ev! It's a great Rock Bar in…read moreTaksim. Prices are good and they have a big platform for the bands. Also the sound system is really well made in the bar. Inside is designed like an old English rock bar and the wooden bar is actually giving a sensation of 80's to the place. I really enjoyed the nice music inside.

Reminded me of Soho, cool little area, nice bars, real people. We dropped and the the power had…read moregone down on the whole street. Candles everywhere and a large glass of red went down a treat. Hidden Gem

Being from Chicago, good blues music is pretty easy to find. In Istanbul, it's perhaps a little…read moreharder to find. Near where we were staying, we found out about this place and figured we would see what was up. The place wasn't easy for us to find for some reason (if you've been to Istanbul and have tried to find small places, then you know why). The place is pretty small but nonetheless interesting. The owner was cool and knew all about blues and even Chicago. The band that played wasn't amazing but nonetheless they didn't suck and it made for an enjoyable evening. Not bad at all and if you're in the area and are in need of some live music, then check the place out.

This was one of the coolest night clubs I've probably ever been to. It's tucked away in an alley on…read morethe Anatolya side (Asian side) of Istanbul. You have to walk a steep cobblestone road to get there, but oh my was it worth all those steps. It's very quaint and intimate which is why reservations are necessary and can be made over the phone or via email. Your name will be on a list and then you pay when you walk in. I don't know what the drink minimum is but I ordered a house red wine, a bottle of water and a coffee before the night was over. No complaints on any of those drinks. Since it was just me and I arrived early, they sat me very close to the already small stage. A couple came in late and I told them they could sit at my table if they didn't mind. They were lovely and said they worked for Turkish airlines and always come here whenever they are in town. They said every show is just as good as the last one. We saw Onder Focan Trio play and they were fantastic! I love that there was a mix of age groups and walks of life not only in the band, but in the audience as well. The doors open at 8:30, the band starts playing at 9:30 and around 10:30 they take a 30 minute break and then they play another hour. During the break, the band mingled with the guests and a Jazz singer from Iceland was there and he was invited on stage to sing a Chet Baker song. At first I was bummed because I was enjoying the instrumentals, but when he opened his mouth, I was floored by how good it was and no one can outdo Chet Baker. I wish I had caught his name. It was such a wonderful experience, I didn't want to leave and thought about coming back the next evening, but it was my last day in Istanbul and I needed to catch a ride to airport at 3:00am so staying out until 12:30 or 1:00 beforehand is unfortunately not happening for me these days.

There's a blonde lady (according to the waiter she is the owner), that keeps shushing people even…read moreif they are conversing at a normal volume.. she's like the school principal who is deeply confused about boundaries! If you do not want people to talk, then arrange your space accordingly and make your suggestions through a microphone before the event starts.. There is a warning that says "be quiet during the show" to be fair but the way she shushes people is too invasive and frankly, rude. Sneaking up on people and getting up on their space is really revolting! Thank you for making me not enjoy this night I will not be coming back Also.. sour and subpar margaritas

I have been to this casual and yet awesome jazz bar twice. It's like an international place to get…read moretogether with your colleagues, friends and to meet with new people while sipping your beer or whatever you are drinking at that time. The prices are average and the music level is not so high. You don't need to talk loudly with your friend next to you. The music that they usually play have high quality. For me, I love jazz bars so that's one of the best jazz bars that is located right at the heart of Taksim.

I stumbled upon Time Out Istanbul's new year article about Best Of for various eating categories…read morefor Istanbul in 2015. So naturally I started yelping them all. Under their "Best Terrace" section Mixo Terrace came up. Not realizing I had been there before, not once but twice I quickly remembered. Located at the top of the Marti Hotel, a hop skip and a jump from Taxsim Square, Mixo is a nice blend of chilled atmosphere with a nice view and decent cocktails. I am a sucker for hotel terraces, I can't lie, but I don't really understand the accolades for Mixo. Maybe I didn't stay long enough for the DJ to come on and for the place to really start bumping. Maybe the 2 star cocktail at a 5 star price leads me to prefer other places over Mixo. Mixo does have a nice view, but in my opinion facing the wrong direction. Why not go to the Marmara Pera for the best view in Istanbul? Both equally priced and honestly not far from each other. Mixo left me with a "bleh" taste in my mouth. Certainly not ready to go back for more. Then again maybe when the crowd gets bigger and the dancing is in full swing, I might be swayed to come back! But for now. Your 3 stars are all I see in my galaxy.

The drinks were amazing, the music was on point, the crowd was fun and the staff was wonderful…read more Highly recommend this place!