Experienced iskender on a food tour. We were treated to a couple dishes. The lamb was the best we…read morehad in Turkey, made so good by pouring a water butter on top of the plate. You can see and feel the care of long-time family ownership here.

Impeccable Kebabs. I didn't much care for any Turkish Kebabs I tried in America, but the ones at…read moreplaces like this have thoroughly changed my opinion on how good a Turkish kebab can be.

This is a go to place for family for a really long time now. The food don't get me wrong is so good…read moreI had iskender and it was delicious. I won't fail to mention that the steps down to the bathroom are super slippery and I fell and but slid all the way downstairs. Also the tea is maybe the worst tea I've ever had in a turkish restaurant while this has nothing to do with the food itself it was a huge bummer considering we just wanted to have a nice cup of tea and digest and not a single person made it half way through their glass.

This was my first night in Istanbul and I eased tired from traveling from cappadocia earlier in the…read moreday. This restaurant was close to my hotel and had great reviews on Yelp. When I arrived there was only one other customer inside. The restaurant decor was cute and I very comfortable. The staff were friendly and welcoming. This spot was a bit pricey just like most of the restaurants in this touristy area. I had certain Turkish entrees i wanted to try during my vacation. I ordered the Iskender kebab which is beef and pita bread covered with tomato sauce with yogurt on the side. I ordered a side salad to go with it. The dish was very delicious as you can tell in one of my pics. I chatted with some of the staff about life in Istanbul. I was offered some complimentary pomegranate tea before I left and it hit the spot. This is definitely a place to check out when you're in the area.

A MUST TRY. As an American, I have been SO impressed with food here in Turkey and if you are in the…read morearea, this restaurant is an absolute MUST-TRY if you're looking for great food. I had some of THEE BEST chicken kebab I've ever had in this country here. The beef kebab was also tender and flavorful. You cannot go wrong with any of these! The service was quick and prompt, and the servers were great at making recommendations. I came here in the winter so we sat indoors which felt a bit cramped however, there is also outdoor seating during the nicer weather months. If I'm ever back here in Istanbul, I would definitely come back. And if you're reading this, you NEED to try the Old Ottoman!

Visited Çiya Sofrası as it is a restaurant featured on the World's 50 Best discovery list and as…read morethe chef was featured on Netflix's Chef's Table. Menu is based on recipes collected from all across Turkey an the menu might vary daily depending on what they have available. The restaurant itself also features 3 locations all adjacent to or across from each other. Party of 7 seated upstairs. There honestly is so much space and seating between all three locations. No reservation as we just walked in. Honestly didn't look at the menu as we had friends who were local and asked if they could just order. What I would recommend though is just get whatever sounds interesting as everything we tried was delicious. The big airy bread and the beets were a must as well as the stuffed intestines. The kebab we ordered was also so good that we got a second one. It's also very large and shareable. In fact, everything should be shared. A lot of desserts to choose from and my favorite was the bitter orange.

Great place to try authentic Turkish cuisine. They have a huge variety of dishes, and thanks to the…read morecafeteria-style presentation, we were able to point to different dishes and try all kinds of things that we normally wouldn't have tried since we didn't know what they were or what they looked like. We also bumped into a local woman outside who told us what her favorite items at the restaurant were. My favorite dish was definitely the meat topped with the pomegranate seeds and the oblong falafel-looking thing shown in the first picture. I wasn't a fan of the intestines. I also wasn't a fan of the Turkish pizza with lamb, though I felt the lamb all throughout my time in Istanbul was a bit too gamey for my taste. Overall, I think this is an excellent place to get a taste of what Turkish cuisine has to offer--we came here towards the end of our trip but I think coming here at the beginning would have been a better choice, so that we could know what kinds of dishes to seek out during the rest of our time at Turkey!

This was my local kebap place when I stayed in Istanbul. It's a nice under the radar local…read morerestaurant that's been here over 20 years. They have a full menu of kebap, pide and lahmacun all at very reasonable prices. My favorite dish was the doner with rice and I also really liked their Iskender kebap. They don't speak much English but were always very friendly.

One of our favorite meals in Istanbul. The meat was so juicy and flavorful in both the spicy adana…read moreand the chicken. And mixed perfectly with the onions, tomatoes, and cilantro. A wrap is not too large; most of us ordered seconds. Prices were als9 fantastic. Limited indoor and outdoor seating, but we were able to be seated easily Wednesday evening.

Our first food here in Turkey. Welcoming staff. Sweet waiter that took our order very promptly…read more Restaurant appears small from the outside, but actually has a second floor with more seating. Very clean bathrooms were a bonus downstairs also. Food was served quickly with an excellent portion size. I ordered the beef wrap and fries with a Pepsi. It was supposed to have been a small lunch, but was actually very filling. I will say the meat could've used a sauce. Something to cut all the grease that it was covered in. I did try someone else's chicken and it was even more in need of a flavorful sauce. That being said, it is served with ketchup and mayonnaise, which is familiar to us, but not the sauce I had in mind. Overall though, great first stop.

I'm Turkish-American. Came here from abroad with my Turkish wife to see friends we hadn't seen in…read moreyears. Was supposed to be a special occasion, but the service ruined our time. Good food, but such terrible service that we wish we went elsewhere. We waited almost an hour for a beer. Food temp wasn't good. Had stomach issues later that night. There was a cat going to the bathroom above our table on the rafters... very unsanitary. And the server had the balls to ask for a higher tip after we tipped him at (high) US standards. Total trash. The owner was there. Should have complained to him, but was just happy to get the hell out of there. If you're visiting from abroad, avoid this place. For the price, you could eat 3 other meals with 10x better service.

If you are not Turkish and looking for a kebab place, this review is for you. Yelp should really…read moreamp up its presence in Turkey. Locals are already in the know about Bedri Usta. This is the flagship store where you can also meet the celebrity chef himself. He is not Salt Bae, but he also well deserves the TV fame. Bedri Chef lives and breathes his restaurant and the chain he created from scratch. He used to be homeless and slept on the streets. Now he is a restauranteur that employs homeless, drug addicts and rehabilitates them with love, trust, and a chance of employment. Food is impeccable. When in doubt, ask the executive chef on the daily mezze selection and mixed kebab places. Fun spot, but the food really speaks for itself.

This is a fantastic, fantastic place for ciger or kebab. The dudes working there have so much…read moreclass, as soon as you sit down you are ready to expect great service. Food is so tasty, it's the perfect complement to the great service they provide. I highly recommend the kunefe as the perfect touch to a great meal. For tourists or those new to Turkish cuisine, you must go to Hulusi. They are doing it right. Meat!

From the owner: ciğer veçöp şişread more

A must visit while in Istanbul. The kebab was incredible with amazing service and they were able to…read morehelp us English speakers as well.

Çiya Sofrası and Kebab occupy opposite sides of a busy street in Kadıköy where Chef and owner Musa…read moreDağdeviren has created a destination for not only grilled Meats and Mezze but also a lively atmosphere. Part of Istanbul's Anatolian coast, the Kebab Restaurant later giving way to Çiya Sofrası and its fame, guests here are situated across three floors where the menu offers a well-culled list of items prepared traditionally including complex Mercimek Corbası and golden Dumplings generously stuffed with ground Meat. A growing business with three locations, all a few meters apart, Ciya's Lahmacun arrives beautifully crisp with Toppings well-balanced while Spicy Lamb Kebab doesn't hold back in its liberal application of Peppers. Part of the dining scene since 1998, five men in an open kitchen working fast on the ground floor, Babaganoush is served more chunky than those elsewhere and whether one choose this or the signature Ciya Kebab wrapped in Pastry the results are impressive across-the-board.

Walking around Istanbul and needing an authentic dinner place....i, of course, turned to yelp for…read morehelp! Found this place close by with ravishing reviews, so why not. Get there and easily seated. Small place but people were constantly going in and out and place was buzzing with tourist and locals alike. Menu properly labelled with prices so not a tourist trap. Sat down and ordered the lamb chops and the Adana kebabs (minced meat). Both dishes outstanding. The lamb chops were the best I've ever had. Grilled just right to perfection. Seasoned well with Turkish spices and meat was juicy. The kebabs were the same. Juicy and succulent and perfectly seasoned. Came with complimentary lavash and spicy hummus dip and some pickled veggies. Service quick and portion sizes just right. When in Istanbul, a must try for sure. Cheers! Happy eating!

I was going to try the turkey lamb chop. So I pick a restaurant close to grand plaza. It was close…read moreto the tram station. There are four chops in the set. The chop was pan fried to almost well. I am guessing they don't ask about the temperature. Overall the food is good. The meat here is a bit tougher than the United State. They are likely seasoned. The meal comes with grilled pepper, tomato and turkey blow bread.