Food is really awful and so is the service. The only good thing is the show. But, that too was…read moreruined when they placed a phone on a stand right in front our table for recording and completely blocked our view. Dish was served on a bowl that had a big chip. Rice was uncooked and chicken was bland. Tea was stale and too bitter.

This place was a very cultural experience for me. I went here for work and experienced my first…read moreTurkish food in Turkey as well as traditional belly dancing performances. I was there for dinner which includes the performances. The service was great. Once I stepped in the place, I was ushered for a coat check-in and then went downstairs to be seated. The place is quite dark and most of the lights are focused on the stage. It was also quite entertaining to checkout the tables in the restaurant because they put up the flags in where each individuals are from. The crowd of the restaurant was diverse from many different countries. For dinner, they ask you what type of entree you want: mixed meat, lamb, or a vegetarian option. I got the lamb. For the appetizer, I was served borek and aubergine on the side. I liked both of them. Whilst eating, the belly dancing performances were held and there were three. They also had two, male and female, belly dancing competitions when they picked out of the crowd. The male competition was the eventful one because it was for choosing who will be the Sultan for the night. For dessert, I was served Aşure (I think), also called Noah's Pudding. Overall, if you're looking for a dine-in with a cultural experience in Istanbul, it's worth checking this place out. Specifically the belly dancing. The experience takes up the whole evening from 20:00 until around 23:00.

This is a simple establishment. The staff is very welcoming so I walked in. So glad that I did…read more I tried their potato with meatballs (beef) dish. It was very delicious. The potatoes was so soft and properly cooked all the way but still holding its form. The meatballs were tender and not hard. The gravy was very simple salt-based. Then, I tried their other gravy dishes and all were amazing. I bought a bunch of plates for dinner and carried the bag in my hand for about 2 to 3 hours while I toured northern istanbul. It was totally worth carrying for that long. I highly recommend this place.

Peymane is a good place to go to for some appetizers and meat dishes. It's a bit hard to find…read more(signage could definitely be better but you have to take an elevator from the lobby of a hotel to the top floor). There are very limited vegetarian options, and the place doesn't have any seafood on their menu. Humus is pretty good, meat was good but there are better and cheaper places in Istanbul. It's convenient if you are staying nearby but I wouldn't be making a special trip to come here. Staff is very friendly and accommodating.

- 5 stars for the atmosphere - So much food…read more- skip the hummus, try the haydari or ezme - A+ service

Exceptional service and exceptional food!! Came here at maybe 10:00 p.m. for dinner without a…read morereservation for a group of seven and we were immediately seated. The server and everyone was super nice with answering questions. Brought us a large array of their dips on-the-house soon as we entered, with some really delicious soft flatbread. All of those those mezzss were actually so nice and some of the best we had during out trip to turkey. The beetroot one was especially unique with something like potatoes and beetroot mixed together in that dish. Highlight of the night was the Adana Kebab! Proper spicy and flavorful. Wanted to try the Iskander Kebab because I read about it online (as one of the dishes to try in Istanbul) but honestly that Adana kebab is much much better! Vine leaves appetizer was also delicious. Just the inside the leaves where it was so flavorful that you would want more of it. Family got the Falafel Burger and lentil bisque. I I tried the actual falafel and it was quite tasty and I believe they liked the bisque is very because it was all finished! We got the money for the table to try but I think it was just okay. The yogurt sauce was a little too tangy for me and the monkey itself seemed very doughy. Was too much of the actual pasta and barely any filling inside. So it just tasted like plain pasta with the yogurt sauce.

I came here since it was on me ex's list of to visit restaurants in Istanbul that she had tagged…read moreand given me. The best part of this is that it was right across the street from the Stop Over Hotel that Turkish Airlines grants you. Food was great, service was phenomenal and I even got bread, dips and an apple tea on the house! There were not many people in the restaurant, so I kind of actually enjoyed the ambiance.

This place is incredible. Well apart from the very specific cocktails, everything is on a very high…read morelevel. We tried the set menu and were not disappointed. This is good and art. The wine list is one of the best to taste local wines. A pure happiness.

Oh Alancha. So like other posts where ratings can be influenced by price I will have to do the same…read morewith Alancha. Alancha was on my list since it was an honourable mention in the San Pellegrino Top Restaurants of the World. I skipped Mikla which was a top restaurant since the food didn't have the inventiveness of Alancha. However, perhaps there is a reason for that - which I will get into further down. But first, Alancha got a 3* because in the end it was inexpensive by North American standards for what is was trying to do. The price point is that of a mid-ranged eatery in the US but it is trying to much harder. Now back to the food and setting. I think Istanbul has good food, but from my experience there wasn't a lot of highly innovative food. Alancha is absolutely making the attempt which i applaud, but the execution just isn't there. I did not do the set meal which could have been different, but instead had some a la carte dishes. They ranged from average to not so good. For example the octopus tentacle was pretty burnt at the ends and grilled to a point that it was dry and jerky like. I can't recall much else. The drinks were a good attempt, but perhaps slightly over the top. One came in a bowl with a significant amount of dry ice. and there were others executed in similar style. The service really struggled with English and often tried to hide so they wouldn't have to speak (to be fair there is no expectation that anybody outside of an English speaking country speak English), however this restaurant is clearly aiming to be world class and looking to present itself that way. We were the only table (another table was the owner's friends). and the staff would be behind us laughing and pushing each other to come to us, loser had to speak english. It wasn't rude and it was done in good fun, but it also shows the readiness of the staff and how they were not fully comfortable in their roles. I don't want to say not go, because i want to give it a chance to be better and the decor had a good touch, but in the end if your time in Istanbul is short....

This was a great first vacation meal! We got hummus, grape…read moreleaves, an alexander kabob, a raki and a small bottled water. The Alexander kabob was fantastic! The sauce, bread and curd made a brilliant combo and there was also a slice of potato a chili and a tomato. This is the first time I have ever felt like yogurt added anything to a dish. It was so good. The raki was awesome. The waiter insisted I add some water to it and he definitely knew best, it was sharp. And then it turned white! It is an anise liquor, like a jaegermeister, and I was glad I tried it. We ate in the semi outside seating which is always such a highlight in Istanbul. Great ambience and the wait staff and host were really welcoming. They gave us complimentary tea and baklava when we asked for the check and that was also lovely.

The accommodations were wonderful, the service was excellent, and they did everything they could to…read moremake our night incredible. Everything was delicious, and the show was spectacular. Congratulations to the whole team! Cozatmosphere, with pleasant music. Everything was very clean.

Such a great find in Sirkeci! I brought my friend and guests visiting from the US and Dubai, and we…read moreall absolutely loved it. The Cağ Kebabı was fantastic -- incredibly fresh, tender, juicy, and perfectly grilled. The meat was so good that we ordered another serving! The Çoban Salatası and creamy Manda Yoğurdu were delicious, and the watermelon juice was so refreshing. My guests were genuinely impressed, and it was great to introduce them to such an authentic Turkish food experience. Simple, fresh, flavorful, and really well done. If you're in Sirkeci and love kebab, definitely give Şehzade a try.

You know a restaurant is good when their menu is simple and they only specialize in one thing- cag…read morekebab. We came on a weekday evening for dinner and found a line already forming around 6PM. Despite the crowd, there was a quick turnaround, and we were able to get seated quickly after only 10 minutes of waiting. We ordered the cag kebab wrap, soup of the day (lentil soup), and a side of salad. The kebab was nicely seasoned, with each bite delivering a rich, savory flavor. I also loved all the Turkish lentil soups and this one was no exception- it's tangy, savory and extremely comforting to drink on a cold night.

I have been ordering from Zeraf Et for the past 5 years. My orders come on days where im either to…read morelazy to cook or want something nicely cooked and very tasty. Despite the high prices, Zeraf Et has awesome lamb and kebabs, as well as a greaty hummus starter (the kinds of things you dont find in many turkish places.) I didn't think my opinion could change about this place.... until I went for the first time. Very close to my house, it is hidden down a few steps, away from passerbys. Well to my surprise, the food was even better when I went there! The service is good in this large and busy (on football match days) reasturant. I could not have been more delighted to know that such a gem was so close to my house!

Fantastic atmosphere, food, service, and location!! Adana kebap was extraordinary!read more