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Mivan Restaurant Cafe

4.8 (31 reviews)
Open 8:00 am - 1:00 AM (Next day)

Mivan Restaurant Cafe Photos

MIVAN RESTAURANT CAFE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Classy
Dogs allowed

Recommended Reviews - Mivan Restaurant Cafe

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Beef Salad.
Donovan D.

Wow. Mivan has been the highlight of our stay in Istanbul. When you think about Istanbul's historical, cultural and geographic attractions, that statement may seem overly generous, but Mivan exemplified a saying I observed in Bangkok,Thailand: "A culture must be tasted to be experienced." This charming restaurant doesn't skip a beat and amplified our Istanbul experience in its flawless delivery. The food was delicious and inspired: we had the Balik Corbasi (Fish Soup), Izgara Et Salata (Grilled Beef Salad), Levrek - Firin Izgara (Oven Grilled Sea Bass), and Kuzu Cevirme (Spitroasted Lamb) complemented with black tea and fresh pomegranate juice. The dishes all paired well and every bite reminded us that we were enjoying a meal that was prepared by people who viewed their work as art. The service was impeccable. This was evident from the moment we entered the restaurant, and continued to the way we were seated and then served throughout the meal. The staff was patient, courteous, and professional. The ambiance was relaxed, welcoming and communal. The banter across the restaurant confirmed that our experience was shared. All in all Mivan gave us a taste of life in Istanbul and helped us to better appreciate this extraordinary city and culture. If you're in Istanbul, treat yourself and taste the culture at Mivan!

Amazing food, friendly service, great atmosphere! We were lucky to stay at the hotel across the way and noticed how popular this restaurant was, so decided to try it and was not disappointed! Highly recommend Mivan restaurant Istanbul.

Ally W.

Mivan has all the Istanbul staples: grilled kebabs, grilled steak, grilled fish, lentil soup, kunefe, and Turkish drinks. My favorite items here are the pistachio kebabs and lentil soup -- both were very flavorful. The mixed kebab plate consisting of beef kebab, chicken thigh, chicken wing, and meatball is pretty good too. The only thing I didn't like were the dips offered to us, but they were free, so I don't want to complain. Service is impeccable. I have been to Mivan twice. The first time, I just had tea, and the staff didn't even charge me. The second time, I came for lunch with a friend who had to catch a flight. The staff made sure to call her a taxi 20 minutes before she needed to leave. Their English is very good. The restaurant is a little different to reach by car because it's on a small, narrow street. However, if I am nearby, I would definitely stop by to have a nice casual meal.

Adana kebab, fries, cold starters, mixed casserole, fresh pita

Amazing food and top notch service. Syed is was an amazing host and took care of us! Fries were a great side to my casserole and the Adana kebab was delicious! The ambiance was perfect and was a clean and trendy design

Grilled vegetable plate. Beautiful, balanced, and tasty
Tim X.

Mivan is highly deserving of its 5 star rating! We came here for dinner during a few days in Istanbul, and it definitely stood out as one of the best places (Roof Mezze 360 was the other). The restaurant was full, but the server set aside a table for the 4 of us and we only ended up waiting about 10 minutes. We ordered a grilled vegetable plate, chicken shish, and grilled sea bass. The grilled vegetables and sea bass were excellent. The lighting, ambience, and staff were also fantastic. Food came quickly despite the packed restaurant, and there was still a line by the time we left. Highly recommend for dinner!

Lu H.

The food here is amazing. Very nice service. Everyone was accommodating. You should try this place when you are visiting here.

What a big eggplant!
Michelle A.

For our very first meal in Istanbul, oh. my. WORD!!!! This was absolutely fantastic! The waiter was friendly, offered helpful tips, even took the time to explain how to order, eat certain things and drink Turkish coffee. We got the hummus as an appetizer but it came with 3 other absolutely incredible side dishes including ezme, which was the most delightful salsa-type, mouth-watering amazing starter! My meal was the tomato and other herbs-fillled eggplant and it was DELICIOUS! Best eggplant I've ever had and so filling. I look forward to trying more Turkish cuisine!

Grilled veggies were nice
Ashley T.

Very disappointing. Many 5 reviews but I don't know why. Service was slow, even for drinks. Food was variable. Grilled veggies were good. Sac Tava only ok. No beer or wine. I'd like to give 3.5. Would not recommend unless you're in a pinch.

Espresso (14 TK)
Tuli S.

We stopped in for coffee multiple times. We didn't try the food but service couldn't be beat. The restaurant has adorable decor and the coffee is excellent!

Cheesy meatball plate
Nicolle C.

Delicious! I walked by this restaurant and saw the nice ambiance and customers' tasty looking food, so I tried it. I'm glad I did! I had the cheesy meatball plate.

Complementary bread and dips

I had such a great experience here. The fish was delicious and the apple tea was so yummy. I only speak English and they made me feel so welcome. I came with a large group and they freed up a table for us very quickly. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to everyone! The vibe inside was also very nice and cozy.

Spaghetti Napolithan

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4 months ago

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7 months ago

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9 months ago

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11 months ago

My grilled salad was delicious and the service was great! Highly recommend stopping in if you are visiting Istanbul.

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2 years ago

It was a good place, clean and good service! The food was delicious but a little expensive for the area.

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5 years ago

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4 years ago

Great dinner kebaps. Very pleasant location in Sultanamet district and people watch Very fairly priced too

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4 years ago

Great place to eat. The owner is friendly and welcoming. Located close to all the hotels.

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Mivan Restaurant Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

Review Highlights - Mivan Restaurant Cafe

The canned cherry juice was also a hit, as was the apple tea they serve after the meal.

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Old Ottoman Cafe & Restaurant - Traditional dessert

Old Ottoman Cafe & Restaurant

4.8(307 reviews)
0.7 kmAlemdar, Alemdar Mh.
₺₺

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!

Photos
Old Ottoman Cafe & Restaurant - Streetside

Streetside

Old Ottoman Cafe & Restaurant
Old Ottoman Cafe & Restaurant - Wall outside the restaurant.

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Wall outside the restaurant.

Roof Mezze 360 - Mezze plate and meat platter

Roof Mezze 360

4.9(59 reviews)
1.1 kmHobyar, Hoca Paşa Mh.

I LOVE this spot. The views, the food, the service, the music .. I love it!…read more This is where I was first introduced to adjika, a tasty pepper sauce that is served with their table bread, which is also delicious. I had to grab some at a local market. I highly recommend the chicken kabobs, juicy and well seasoned. Also enjoyed the margaritas, stiff and not overly sweet. Staff is pleasant and attentive. The views are unmatched in the evening. Make your reservation in advance to secure your sunset table. The inside is nice and classy but I simply adore the open air views from the roof. The birds really set off the skyline and you can see several of the mosques around. Not SUPER expensive but it is in the higher end price wise compared to their surrounding competition -- 100% worth it in my book. I will definitely go again on my next visit. Glad I could introduce it to a friend this go round. The only thing I disliked about this place is the "dining dome" as I called it. A portion of the roof now offers seating in a large plastic dome. The dome is scratched up and obstructs the view of the city but does protect diners from the wind. I was not a fan of this dome. I'm sure it's something someone saw on the internet and implemented .. I hope they get rid of it, it's super unnecessary. Otherwise -- LOVE!

Beautiful views, nice restaurant, huge menu. Had some really good mezze and shared the turkish…read moreravioli that we hadn't seen elsewhere and were like dim sum. The views, food, and service make for an unforgettable experience.

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Roof Mezze 360
Roof Mezze 360
Roof Mezze 360 - Complimentary tea to end the meal

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Complimentary tea to end the meal

Galata Kitchen - Traditional Turkish breakfast for 1

Galata Kitchen

4.5(30 reviews)
2.2 kmMüeyyedzade Mh., Şahkulu, Kemankeş Karamustafa Paşa

Everything I ate here was utterly delicious and unique. The staff was lovely and so helpful. Their…read morerecommendation of what to order was spot on. I'm already craving a second visit.

Galata Kitchen is not a doner grill and it doesn't open onto a busy street with a big outdoor…read morepatio. After two days having some great meals in Istanbul of that type, we looked for something different. Not far from Galata Tower, GK is on a side street with little foot traffic. It has a big modern sign back off the street and one of the operators saw us hesitating where to enter and waved us in from the front entrance. Inside it has whimsical and funny decorations and serious books mounted on the wall, but is not atmospheric, more like a diner. BUT the food is displayed in a case, hot and cold entrees separated, so you can see what you are ordering. You pick what you want and they assemble your choices on a plate and bring it to the table. Hot entrees included chicken bites in a tomato sauce and chicken with onions, lamb stew and beef and plenty of salad and vegetable choices in the cold display case. The group of men running the place that night were low key but personable, answering our questions about food items and Turkish literature. Service was prompt but understated and helpful. Our group of four had a great time and the menu is diverse enough that everyone found choices that pleased them. But remember, we came in expecting something very good other than doner kebap and were not disappointed!

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Galata Kitchen - Restaurant interior

Restaurant interior

Galata Kitchen
Galata Kitchen - Restaurant exterior

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Restaurant exterior

Mivan Restaurant Cafe - turkish - Updated May 2026

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