The business-class lounge at Istanbul Airport is absolutely awesome--and the food stations deserve…read morea review of their own. It feels less like grabbing a quick bite before a flight and more like setting off on a delicious little tour of Turkish cuisine. There's a tempting spread at every turn: colorful salads and mezze, freshly prepared Turkish favorites, hearty hot dishes, breads and pastries, and an impressive selection of desserts. Just when you think you've made your choice, another station catches your eye and suddenly your plate needs "a little more room." The staff is young and energetic moving around cleaning table and being gracious about it. Everything feels generous, inviting, and designed to keep you happily wandering back for one more bite. The hardest part isn't finding something you like; it's deciding when to stop. An outstanding lounge experience, and a fantastic start to any journey through Istanbul.

Dates: Thursday, June 18th, 2026 around 12:15pm…read moreMonday, June 30th, 2026 around 12:30am The hubby and I visited this lounge twice in June. First time was for a quick 30 mins during a layover from SFO to CDG. Second was a long overnight layover on the way back. It was pretty busy our first visit. Tho it was around lunchtime. I'm sure a lot of flights had layovers around that time. The lounge is huge. Plenty of tables, chairs. etc. I wanted some greens so grabbed some salad for a quick bite. We had some water. I had a pour of bubbles. I could only find one restroom which I found odd for a lounge of this size. There was always a wait. Second time was a night time layover. There were not a lot of people here. Basically all but the salad and dessert stations were closed. I did find a beverage cart, so I was able to pour myself some bubbly until they took that away. I think around 1am-ish? Maybe 1:30am. The germany world cup game was on, so luckily they had a spot with TVs. In the morning, it got pretty busy before we left around 6am. Since we were here for the morning rush, I was able to sample some eggs. Idk if they serve meat here, but everything I ran across was meat free. Some additional notes. They have self serve lockers here. So you can store your carry ons if you want to go explore the airport. There is plenty of seating, but not plenty of seating with outlets. So choose your seats carefully. A nice lounge to pass time. I just wish they had more bathrooms REVIEW #4085

This is such a great & diverse cocktail bar in the middle of one of the most bustling and fun parts…read moreof Istanbul. Open minded and welcoming;. It attracts a nice looking mixed crowd and is LGBTQ+ friendly; they have a discrete rainbow flag inside. This place does not get as crazy crowded as some of its neighbors and I really like the groovy interior decor with interesting artwork and a velvet couch. The people who work here are all cute, nice and cool. There are fun little booths and stools placed in nooks in places you can sit outside, a terrace raised up over the street where you can talk with a friend and see all the people walking by or you can sit on a cozy couch inside. The lighting is dim and makes everyone look really great. They make fantastic cocktails and have good local beer I highly recommend it.

This is definitely a true cocktail bar with unique drink and a variety of drink options. It's the…read morebest one we've had here in Istanbul. Friendly customer service and drinks came fairly quick, though unfortunately today the electricity went out but it still worked out. I wanted to stay and try many more drinks but 6 was good for now we still need to eat dinner lol.. Picklerock with baby corn- it is pickley with a hint of spice it's pretty good and different. It works together with the corn. If you like pickles and spice this is the drink for you. Plan direct - smooth easy to drink and you can taste the honey. It comes with yogurt ice cream just a little sweet but not to much it's good. All good in the hood- very good easy to drink the burning cinnamon adds a cute touch you just dip it in and stir it to add that hint of cinnamon flavor but not overpowering at all. Big in Japan- you taste the seaweed it comes with the ginger and you know it's kinda like eating sushi in a drink if you take a nibble on the ginger while taking a sip. It really goes together it is unique and different. It sounds odd but it's pretty cool Holy smoke- this one was ok it's good but it is sour d Mountain Sip- easy to drink a little sweet but good

I didn't get to check out the roof lounge, but the street-level cafe was great…read more We were on a tour from our cruise ship and had "free time" to wander the area. We were shopped-out and it was hot. We saw the stocked bar in the restaurant from the street and decided to go in for drinks. The service was outstanding and the house wine was also wonderful. The kids had sodas and we also had some sparkling water. They have good wifi there and it was a slow mid-day, so it was pretty fast. Nice to a cloud picture sync. The restrooms were also clean. The food menu looked great as well even though we didn't get anything.

This rooftop lounge had amazing views of the city. Got the cheese platter and fries. Everything was…read morefantastic and great tasting. Service was amazing as well, quick and friendly. Recommend this place

Gorgeous views, decent food, priced for location…read more Our family dined at Seven Hills Restaurant on our first evening in Istanbul. The restaurant offers gorgeous views of the Blue Mosque, the Istanbul skyline, the Golden Horn, the Bosphorus, and the Sea of Marmara, especially from its rooftop terrace. The food was pretty good, though nothing extraordinary, with most dishes lacking much flavor, except for the mezes. The service was prompt and polite. Prices were steep, clearly reflecting the prime location and awesome views. Overall, we can recommend Seven Hills Restaurant if you don't mind paying extra to enjoy the iconic Istanbul views and perhaps feed the seagulls on the terrace. Dishes ordered Mixed Appetizer plate - excellent Fish Soup - very good with generous chunks of fish Adana Kebab Seabass Salad Grilled Chicken Bonfile Penne Kilic Shish

Yes it's a tourist trap but the fabulous view is an absolute dream! Beats every other rooftop I've…read morevisited because it's directly in between Agia Sofia and Sultanahmet with the Bosphorous in front of you, and you can see the European side of Istanbul as well. Glass balconies....just spectacular. The servers will help you get the best photograph, too. I just had dessert here today and it was incredible. Also the fresh juices are wonderful. Super fresh fish dishes and many other options if you want a full meal. Of course it's more expensive than eating somewhere on the street but you're paying for the spectacular view and the service is exceptional. Get there before sunset. Have been in Istanbul for over a month and have taken photographs all over the place but for some reason (the location, height and the glass balcony) this is just a spectacular spot and the photos all look like they're out of a magazine. If it's too crowded on the very top level, just go down one level and there are more glass balconies there for great views and shots.

This restaurante quenched my hunger, not only for food but art and vibrations. Diljan (the server)…read morewas a steller host and deserves a 21-gun-salute. I will return one of these days. The Lamb Shank made me reminisce family dinners adorned during childhood. Cheers and too many more!!!

Spreads were great, but the meats were a little dry. Ambiance is very nice and cozy. We were able…read moreget seated immediately Saturday late evening.

Cool place with a really nice atmosphere and good cocktails. The drinks were good, although not…read moreanything exceptional. Still, a nice spot to hang out and enjoy the vibe.

I came here twice, once for cocktails, once for coffee…read more Let's start with the cocktails. I'm a fan of a really good cocktail. In every city I go to I try and find a really good cocktail place, the kind of place they is doing their own recipes and is doing them well, or the place that does classics really well. I think we should aspire to get the best cocktails we can in life, and that relies largely on the bartenders being great at what they do. I skimmed the menu for cocktails and boy was I disappointed. There wasn't anything on the menu that piqued my interest. Some classics, some semi original, but nothing too creative. Most of the drinks looked like a combination of a few liqueurs, but no syrups or other potential flavor profiles. After skimming the menu, I asked if they had mescal or could make me a mescal drink, and they didn't have it. I ended up going for a drink with whiskey and bitters and a few other ingredients. I was not expecting much, and what I got tasted like it was whiskey with some bitters for $15. My friend got a rose flavored gin drink and it was quite sweet and nothing that was good enough for me to remember the ingredients. In general the menu felt like combinations of liqueurs and not like a cocktail menu. Our one drink was up and, given that the menu didn't excite me or my guest, we departed after paying nearly 30 lira a drink. If I compare this experience to an experience I had A few weeks earlier at a cocktail bar in Copenhagen where I got a completely original mescal drink from an inspired bartender, I cannot put them in the same ballpark. The Copenhagen cocktail was miles ahead of this one. Round 2, we return during the day for coffee. A semi sunny winter day in Istanbul, my friend and I are in need of a good cappuccino to start our day off right. We decide to try the place with the slightly disappointing cocktails and see if their coffee is as good as what the reviews say. We walk in, order 2 cappuccinos and 2 croissants. The cappuccinos are served at an absurdly high temperature, much closer to 95°C than 75°C. They are hot enough to completely burn your mouth with a sip. I was rather astounded by this, as the temperature of the milk was clearly much too hot. Anyone who had served that should have known the milk had been over steamed and started over. The milk temperature being as high as it was meant the texture of the milk had been abused at this point as well, and that left a sort of buttery consistency in the mouth. All together not a pleasing cup to drink, and violating a lot of my understanding of a quality cappuccino. The espresso might have been interesting, but the cappuccino's temperature and texture completely masked that. We finished our drinks, paid more than we would have at kronotrop down the street for a better prepared cappuccino, and left. I resolved to write the review because my experiences don't match the other reviewers here. Give this place a try if you'd like but my experience was less than stellar for both cocktails and coffee, and I would not recommend it to friends.

After finishing an incredible experience at the attached hammam, we had a wonderful dinner at the…read morerestaurant- ambiance was romantic and upscale, waitstaff was friendly and helpful, and the food was amazing and delicious! Portions are just right and cooked to perfection! We were even amuse bouched and comped dessert with another course midway through added for free. Very talented chef- lamb dinner was cooked to perfection and really wanted to lick the mushroom gravy off the plate when no one was looking lol. The little pistachio tartlets for dessert were divine. Wine was reasonably priced. Definitely stop by when in Istanbul!

I made a reservation for dinner at 8PM at Lokanta 1741 to celebrate my fiancé's birthday a little…read moreearly during his last night in Istanbul. Located adjacent to a well known hamam called Cağaloğlu, this restaurant is very well centered near Sultanahmet and has a very fancy/nice/historic feel. The space feels so open, rustic, and romantic, with many candles, lights, wooden elements, and greenery. This is probably one of the most beautiful restaurants I've ever been to. There is a garden area downstairs which has some skylights on the ceiling so you get lots of natural light-- it feels quiet and intimate. The upper level is the patio which is open to the air, and is nestled in the middle of large rock buildings which transport you back in time. This restaurant doesn't need a grandiose view of the Istanbul skyline since the space is already so beautiful! Our waiter was incredibly nice and attentive to our table. He offered us a menu of cocktails and then let us know there is a wine cellar we could visit so that someone there could help us pick a wine which I had not yet seen at a restaurant before. We opted to get a white Turkish wine for the table which was delicious. They offer a tasting menu that is similar to US prices that looked abundant but we chose to order just a few dishes a la carte to suit our appetite level. We tried: - Amuse bouche: they started us off with delicious crackers with cheese and fig jam, paired with a tangy and salty olive soup. Very unique but delicious combo! - Pistachio- cheese spread "Cunda": delicious! Creamy, nutty, with a subtle aged flavor from some type of cheese that was delicious. It had a nice texture from some crispy garlic bread crumble on top. Super good. Does not come with bread so you might have to order on the side. - Bakalyaro ceviche: amazing! I have high standards for ceviche but the flavor for this was insane. There may have been a little hint of coconut there, also the creaminess of the labne was amazing. Very high quality fish but I'm a bigger fan of larger cut pieces for ceviche, this was more like a tartare. - Moutabal: I think my favorite of the apps: smoky, creamy, rich eggplant dip. They plated it inside a roasted eggplant which was beautiful and also delicious. Best eggplant dip I had during this trip! Again, no bread included so you can order on the side. - Palate cleanser: we were surprised but they brought out a strawberry sorbet as a palate cleanser. Mildly sweet, refreshing, perfect. Really helped reset us for the next course. - One side grilled sea bass: generous portion size, and extremely well cooked! The bass had a crispy crust that made noise even when cutting through it with a knife. Very tender and flavorful flesh. Came in a mashed potato "soup" that was a nice addition to make the dish more substantial. - Kakavya fish stew: amazing flavor! I am not sure how they cook this but it had acidic elements from the tomato, sweetness from caramelized onions, and an umami/smoky/ briny flavor from the verjuice. Looks small but it's very rich and filling. The fish is tender and tastes fresh. - Beef cheeks: tender beef cheeks in a bed of mashed potatoes. Very complex spices! This was good but not my favorite dish although my fiancé loved it. - Desserts: we tried 3 of them and all were a hit! The crispy pastry with pistachio was a table favorite since it was nutty, creamy and only subtly sweet. The chocolate Markiz was crispy but had creamy ganache on top and had a very nice chocolate flavor. My personal favorite was the tahini tart since it was perfectly sweet, creamy, had nutty hints of sesame, and came with lemon ice cream! At the end of the meal, the women at the table got a gift bag with some products from the hamam which I thought was very intelligent marketing. This is definitely a pricier meal in Istanbul. You can truly get amazing food in many other places in the city at a more reasonable price but I think the service here and the ambiance are top notch and justify the price for a more special occasion. We loved every dish and can understand why this is on the Michelin guide. We hung out at the restaurant until around 11pm and no one tried to kick us out. I appreciated the excellent service and the uniquely magical ambiance! Highly recommend for a special celebration.

My first trip to Istanbul and our hotel reception recommended this restaurant, excellent service,…read moreand the food was delicious I definitely recommend coming here to eat if you're near the blue mosque.

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!