I considered it the best one-star Michelin spot in Istanbul, and the only one-star that could…read morecompete with similar establishments in Western Europe or the US. The views are amazing - make sure you ask for a table on the terrace, closest to the windows. Initially I felt neglected, but I ended up asking for a better table and was rewarded. Food: exactly what you'd expect at this kind of spot, with meticulous plating and luxe ingredients. Dietary accommodations are respected here, a pleasant surprise given most of Europe is a "take it or leave it" kind of kitchen.

Nice ambiance, amazing view. The food was very good and the presentation of the plates too…read more The service after we got our server was nice. But we felt neglected arriving, we sat at the bar and tried to engage with the bar tender, we saw some older people getting all the attention. After we sat at our table took about 15 minutes to get any help... I had to complain and after that everything got better

My first review of the year had to my ultimate favorite place to eat desserts. For me this place is…read moreabove all. I love Turkish desserts over any desi desserts, cakes, pastries, chocolates but maybe not the French croissants. My favorite are anything with walnut and pistachios. I love their Kunafa which is perfectly sized not too big or small super fresh and gives you an option to go with honey or sugar syrup.I always choose the later I'm not too big a fan of honey on a kunafa. But the star here is is the big slice of plain baklava with a thick layer or pistachios courses grounded with their signature ice cream. My goodness it is goodness on a plate. I love it with their basic kewa. The service is always top notch. Their locations their pick are top notch too. Price point -it isn't cheap but definitely worth every penny. There are lots of prepackaged goodies like nuts, Turkish delights etc to buy. I always get their baklava packed in a tin and bring it back their guarantee it's freshness for 10 days. I usually freeze it and eat it as and when I like. Works great. Their locations are beautifully done in their standard theme. I dream of their baklavas every time I'm in Turkey. They do have a few locations in other countries like UAE and England but not in many I hope to see them come to Canada soon.

This one of the must try spots in Istanbul and I saw them all over, lol. I went on a walking tour…read moreduring my stay in Istanbul and the local tour guide also recommended this bakery. He said they were a bit pricey but worth it and I agree. My first visit i went to just try out the goodies. I purchased three baklava treats. (pistachio, chocolate and walnut) They were all delicious and rich. My favorite was the walnut. They also sell other baked goods and coffee. I visited another location and purchased a few to go home. The staff were very sweet and welcoming. Definitely a place to check out.

Loved the drinks, the service, the atmosphere, the food! Love the name... ;)…read moreGreat for a date and a gathering with friends. Great for just about any life event. Treat yourself to their fabulous drinks and explore the menu. I'll definite be back.

Was greeted and seated upon arrival. Chose the window seat, which was great for watching people…read moregoing up and down the steep street. The service was very attentive and the space nice. I expected it to be very loud with the hard surfaces, but surprisingly it had a nice mellow vibe. They were also very accommodating of being gluten free. Started with two amuse buches: one was a ravioli with meat in a strong beef broth sauce. The pasta was very well prepared (although it was only one small ravioli). The other was gluten free bread, which was not grainy or dense but was chewy with a nice crust, that was good for sopping up the excellent muhammara (red pepper & walnut) sauce. Next was the bonito appetizer. Whoa, that had a very - emphasize that - fishy flavor. I think that's sticking with me. Glad it came with some citrus (orange?) to offset the strong fish flavor. The sweetbreads were delicious. They were fried and served with lightly pickled and salted, thinly sliced gherkin pickles, but these are not the kind the gherkin's you typically think of. The sweetbreads were a little greasy, and the gherkin's helped with that. The beef short ribs were also very rich, and tender and flavorful. Although it was a bit odd for them to be served over a piece of sourdough bread and be topped with a bunch of mint leaves. There were some ephemeral strands of zucchini that was the only other item/vegetable to come with the dish. There were four red wines available by the glass. Three were OK. Two people with two glasses of wine each came out to about $250.

Thank you, Yelp, for steering two jet-lagged tourists to House of Medusa for dinner after a long…read moreday of travel. Our hotel was near the Basilica Cistern, so this restaurant was close as well, and easy to find. Yelpers had raved about the Stewed Chicken with Almonds and Cream and they were NOT incorrect -- it is DELICIOUS! Finally had to stop eating because I was full -- but that sauce makes you want to just keep eating and eating! We also got the Meatballs Stuffed with Bulgur, and a Shepherd's Salad dressed with pomegranite juice. Service was friendly, and the ambience cozy. Hope you'll give it a try when visiting Istanbul!

Outdoor patio with soft bossa nova playing in the background. Spotty wifi, which would kill it for…read moreme if i were doing some heavy duty tourist research. I ordered a beer (of course), and an open faced sandwich which came with fries. I was pleasantly surprised with that addition. Eat quickly before the cold air cools your food down. I was full, but left feeling that the meal was overpriced. Of course it's so close to all the attractions, but so was the cafe I went to down the street last night and I felt like I got some legit Turkish food there for a great deal. The service here doesn't compel me to come back either...if you do find yourself at Medusa, it's not so bad. But it's not great either.

You really need to dine here if you're in the old city. It is very small; so make a reservation…read more It is a family owned restaurant with the dining room on the middle floor of their house. All the food is home cooked by the owner, who is an artist. She has decorated the room with her art and even made the furniture. The food is amazing! You'd better love cats and dogs because they are part of the experience. Our best dining experience so far in Istanbul.

This was the highlight of my trip to Istanbul. Being served homemade food by the amazing chef and…read morecafe owner off a handwritten menu--whatever she made that day--surrounded by art and rescue animals....do not miss out!!

Great Turkish breakfast! 8 of us in our group and everyone enjoyed it tremendously. Service was…read morealso excellent.

This was the most life changing breakfast I've ever had in my life. Menemen is legit life changing…read moreand I'd eat it everyday if I had access to it. This adorable little joint is sheer perfection, we did two Michelins while we were in Istanbul and I still think about this place and remember it more than my Michelin experiences. It's so simple yet so unique and perfect at the same time. The breakfast spread is one of the most memorable I've ever had, though simple and straight forward, the Turks truly know how to do an incredible breakfast that's better than the rest of the world. If you're in Istanbul, come to this place, the walk up to the joint is lovely, you get to see such a special little part of Istanbul and the food experience is something you'll remember for a lifetime. The service is top notch and the ambiance is adorable, facing the cute little street outside. The meal starts with tea and the spread is truly incredible. DO NOT MISS THIS PLACE!!

This little place is a hidden place of the busy streets from the Egyptian market! Delicious food,…read moreexcellent coffee and tea! We went there a couple times and it never disappointed

In Istanbul, Turkey on an amazing food tour with Culinary Backstreets (Gonca, our guide) and Milk…read moreStreet. On our first night in town, we ascend a walking historical tour through the streets of Upper Beyoglu. We are walking uphill for our meal, meaning our meal will taste even better. In a quiet neighborhood, we arrived at an unassuming building with no sign, named Cuma. This old house is separated into individual dining rooms with exposed concrete walls, small hallways, creaky wood floors and floor to ceiling heavy drapes. The feeling is that this is going to be an amazing night. I under estimated just how great it could be. Ten worldly travels are joining us this culinary adventure. As we are seated for a fixed service, the dishes, start coming out of the kitchen. The description of what we are having is causing me the salivate. The first dish was lightly steamed snow peas with a dusting of hazelnut taratore. Simple and amazing! Our next dish was Turkish pastrami with roasted eggplant, tahini yogurt and crispy onions. I don't like eggplant but there is nothing left on my plate and my senses are on high alert. Simply delicious! Our next dish is minced kibbeh, tahani and fresh herbs. A new dish for me and over the top, again. Georgian dumplings with salted antakya yogurt and porcini mushrooms are up next. What a beautiful dish and packed with a smooth creamy flavor. We finish off the night with baklava, quince paste, pistachios and kaymak. It was light, savory, crispy and delightful. Hands down, one of the best evenings of dining I have experienced. The presentation, flavors, portions and experience were INCREDIBLE. If you are in Istanbul or planning a trip, please place Cuma on your list. To the staff and chefs, thanks for making our first night in Istanbul and great memory.

TLDR: Cuma offers great bistro-style food with Turkish flavors in an intimate indoor/outdoor…read moresetting alongside a quiet alleyway. Recommend the signature cocktails, ceviche, friend oysters, and chicken. They accept credit card and speak English. I'd highly recommend Cuma. We booked a reservation via phone for 8pm on a weekday. The restaurant was about half full. Most of the seating is outdoors in their cute garden courtyard. You can smoke out there. If you wanna avoid the smoke, sit indoors which has roughly 6 tables with 2-4 seats per table. The food is best described as French bistro meets Turkish flavors. We had the fried mussels, ceviche, duck, and chicken. All were cooked perfectly. Lots of citrus flavors. We didn't have dessert. You won't find traditional Turkish desserts here if that's your thing. However they have the standards you'd expect from a bistro like apple crumble and carrot cake.