THIS PLACE IS A HIDDEN GEM!! Great service and very affordable prices. I needed dinner late at night, and Ziya Baba hit the spot! The ambiance was nice and quiet too. The lentil soup was perfect, and the chicken kebab was delicious! Seasonings were on point, and it was COOKED PERFECTLY!! The owners are very sweet and make sure you are being taken care of very well. I'm glad I stumbled upon this place--the lovely reviews truly reflect the place! read more

Ziya Baba - lentil soup - Turkish Near Me - Istanbul, 34

See all

Great food, no hawkers, nice and relaxing to sit and eat by the street old of the worst of the crush. Totally recommend although they do not serve alcohol which may not suit some people read more

Tasty & authentic local food, unpretentious vibes, attentive & expedient service, honest prices. What else can a tired hungry soul hope for?

Simple, inexpensive Turkish food. We were desperate for a good, hot meal after long flights to Istanbul and found this place via Yelp. It was the top-rated place that was also close to our hotel a few blocks away. We were seated quickly and appreciated the simple menus that came with photos (very tourist-friendly!). Between 4 people, we shared a grilled chicken plate, chicken wrap, salad with grilled chicken, and grilled eggplant plate. The food came quickly, everything was tasty, and we felt quite satisfied with the price point. Great place for a quick bite. read more

Solid local Turkish food. We enjoyed the wraps and the portions were reasonable. The meatball platter was our personal favorite and worth the extra money. read more

Ziya Baba - Menu - Turkish Near Me - Istanbul, 34

Ordered chicken wing , come with rice 265 Ordered lamb kebab , 250 Cha 20 for each person Best price I can find in surrounding regions Also they accept credit card. read more

The food here is fantastic. We stayed at the Basileus Hotel, which is just a few yards away from the restaurant, so we visited more than once. In addition to the meal being delicious and quite filling, it was super cheap. We were there in 2013, but our meals were under $10 per person. Well cooked, well spiced, good service, and well worth multiple visits! Really glad that Ziya Baba happened to be in our neighborhood in Istanbul. read more

We stopped in when we were visiting a different restaurant that turned out to be closed. It was a very pleasant dining experience. The staff was patient. The prices were fantastic. The food was fantastic. Highly recommend, we will come back. read more

What a cute little find. Was staying in then area and did a quick Yelp search to come across this little hidden gem. If you look on trip advisor this restaurant is number 59 on the list of places to eat in Istanbul. Ate here a total of 3 times on my visit and had the pleasure of trying the GRILLED CHICKEN SALAD 14 TL (Turkish lira) Simple salad done oh so well. Lettuce, Cucumber, tomatoes, and onions all dressed in a oil and lemon dressing topped with their salad spice and grilled chicken kebab pieces. Chicken was perfectly cooked with little charred pieces. So freaking flavorful. I craved this salad especially when I ate pastries, meats, and everything in site while on my visit. 4 1/2 stars**** MIXED KEBAB PLATE 24TL Chicken kebab, steak kebab, and lamb kebab all paired with a delicious bulgar wheat rice, tomatoes, lettuce, picked onions and parsley. All the meat was seasoned and cooked well. The rice was so good! On the table is trays of Turkish chili and oregano. Sprinkle it on your food and it is oh so good! 4 1/2 stars**** CHICKEN WING PLATE 14TL 6 pieces of chicken wings cooked over a wood grill. Nicely seasoned and charred edges. Also comes with rice, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and parsley. 4 stars*** This place is open as early as 0830 and closes as late as 1030. Inside and outside seating is available. Unfortunately no AC and no wifi, but there's an amazing fan at the back of the restaurant blowing room temperature air. Look at the bright side, your food won't get cold so quick lol. Family ran restaurant with very friendly people. Everything cooked to order. If you're in the area stop by and give it a try. read more

See all

This is a true Turkish gem!! If you are looking to try authentic Turkish grills this is the place. Their chicken kebab is fresh, hot, and simply Delicious! Their prices are relatively on the cheaper side, you can have a meal for 2 for just $10. They also give you complementary bread. MUST TRY if you are visiting Sultan Ahmed mosque! read more

See all

Wow. So delicious, affordable, legit, and comfortable. Feels like you're eating at someone's house and you know that's always where the best food is to be found. This is definitely on my must-eat lists anytime I'll be in Istanbul from now on. read more

Ziya Baba - Mixed plate --- so yummy! - Turkish Near Me - Istanbul, 34

See all

Great food and service. We went for dinner last night, very flavorful food. The lentil soup is a must try, add some chili and your nasal passage for sure will cleanse :), the mixed entry was tasty and tender. We also tried Mediterranean salad which came in good portion. We were two people and still had food left to carry with us. Will definitely recommend yo anyone visiting the area read more

I visited this place based on yelp reviews and boy this place is legit. The food is delicious, very reasonably priced and great service. read more

See all

This is a great spot for a quick lunch before hitting the Turkish market. I'll post pictures of what we had but my top two favorites were Adana and Lahmacun. The vibe is a bustling market outside with calls for prayer on the loud speaker. Being from Dallas, it was a cultural treat and felt like I was in a movie. You have to experience it to know what I mean. Me and hubs had a cozy seat inside and people watched while we ate. Would have both of the above a hundred times again. I'll post pics so you can see. Too much food to remember all the names except my favorites! read more

See all

A short menu. Tasty food that will cost you about 40 lira for 2 meals and tea. Quite and pleasant music. Two very kind waiters. read more

Having gone through the commercial kebab factory Tatseven, I was keen for a more local and homegrown authentic Turkish döner spot. Ziya Baba filled that void, and I can confidently say that I've experienced a rock solid authentic turkish kebab. Star 1: How were the service and atmosphere? Ziya Baba is authentic from top to bottom, or at least it's authentic to the degree that I experienced Istanbul during my time there. Ziya Baba is tucked away within a narrow incline off the primary tourist streets, and from the moment you walk in you can tell that this is how kebabs were meant to be before they were exported across the world and commercialized. Behind the counter? A literal mom and pop operation who are cooking everything in a legitimate home kitchen. Sure, seating is a bit cramped as the place gets pretty crowded, but this was a nice introduction to the city and their cuisine. One thing I will point out is that everything is made fresh to order, and the result can be a significant wait. I got my kebab to go and ended up waiting a solid 20 minutes, which was a surprise. Star Granted. Star 2: How were the portions relative to the cost? This wasn't a colossal kebab compared to what you can find around the world, but it was enough for a small meal. The cost? Seven turkish lira, which equates to $2.64. That's absolutely amazing, and is the very definition of value. Star Granted. Stars 3 and 4: How was the food? Very, very good. There were two highlights here that were offset by just a tad bit of weakness. The good? An absolutely wonderful piece of fresh bread that was used as a wrap and tender and wonderfully seasoned chicken. The bad? A somewhat clumpy combination of all-spice that was overpowering when you hit a pocket of it. All in all though this was very good. Star Granted. Star 5: Would you eat here every day if you could? In a city of fast, low quality doners and kebabs, Ziya Baba is the catalyst. It's the authentic, it's the origin, and while it's not the perfect kebab: it's wonderful. Star Granted. read more

Ziya Baba - Chicken Shish Wrap: ₺7 - Turkish Near Me - Istanbul, 34

A simple grill house with delicious kebab: lamb, chicken, and eggplant. The meats are succulent and tender, and the portions are large. The chicken, cucumber, and tomato salad is a refreshing alternative to the otherwise very carb heavy turkish diet. Simple food done well at fair prices for such a central location (about 15tl per main). It's a mom and pop and son operation... The owner is a bit gruff and doesn't speak much English. But the place clearly caters to tourists, the menu even has pictures. read more

Ziya Baba - Chicken cucumber and tomato salad - Turkish Near Me - Istanbul, 34

See all

Simple. Inexpensive. Advertised as slow food, but I saw sodas, so I think that's nonsense. The food is great and inexpensive. Chicken salad was perfectly cooked. The lentil soup was great. The bread was fine. They offered tea, but it wasn't free, which we assumed it was after last night. Not a big deal.. But a learning experience for us. read more

Ziya Baba - Chicken salad - Turkish Near Me - Istanbul, 34

See all

This small basic restaurant has a small menu of Turkish fare. This includes a couple of vegetarian options. One person in the group is a vegetarian was excited for the vegetarian plate. I had the lentil soup and the Mediterranean salad with chicken. Our table liked everything, the food was flavorful and well seasoned, and the portions were on the larger side. I liked that the salad had some lettuce but was primarily veggies. There was plenty of seasoned grilled chicken on it as well. The main course comes with a soft flat bread that is very good as well. Good food, reasonable prices! read more

Ziya Baba - Mediterranean salad with chicken - Turkish Near Me - Istanbul, 34

If staying in Sultanahmet this would be a great place to get lunch. The food was quick, the servers were very nice and most importantly, it was delicious. The best part about it was that compared to a lot of the other food we ate in Istanbul this place was quite cheap. I wouldn't come here from very far away because it's not necessarily worth a trip to get it but it's great for anyone in the area. read more

Ziya Baba - Turkish Near Me - Istanbul, 34

Located just out of the bustling touristy area if Sultanahmed, this little gem is inexpensive and tasty. We've been several times and I cannot tell you precisely what to order coz it's all pretty darn tasty. It's an affordable, no frills - but friendly - joint. We scraped together our shrapnel and begged for as much baklava as our money would buy and they were generous in return. Please, if you do come here, remember it is a low key eatery so if you're after the "Sultanahmed experience" dine elsewhere :) read more

Ziya Baba - Delicious chicken salad. - Turkish Near Me - Istanbul, 34

See all

So far have been here twice. Never disappointed . It's a local no nonsense place. Service is fast efficient , family owned very polite. Food is a great value - fresh tasty always makes me want more lol. My favorites: lentil soup , beans, Mediterranean salad. Highly recommended great find. read more

Ziya Baba - Turkish Near Me - Istanbul, 34

See all

Ziya Baba is authentic from top to bottom, or at least it's authentic to the degree that I experienced Istanbul during my time there. Ziya Baba is tucked away within a narrow incline off the primary tourist streets, and from the moment you walk in you can tell that this is how kebabs were meant to be before they were exported across the world and commercialized. Behind the counter? A literal mom and pop operation who are cooking everything in a legitimate home kitchen. Sure, seating is a bit cramped as the place gets pretty crowded, but this was a nice introduction to the city and their cuisine. One thing I will point out is that everything is made fresh to order, and the result can be a significant wait. I got my kebab to go and ended up waiting a solid 20 minutes, which was a surprise. Star Granted. read more

TR: yemek harika, ama eleman çok sinirliydi. EN: found this spot via yelp as it was very close to our hotel. It looks like a typical small Turkish restaurant. Simple furniture, small but nice menu for fair prices. This place doesn't have much space for people which makes it more comfortable and gives you a better introduce of the Turkish cuisine. The salad is like typical Turkish salad and the Menemen, which you mainly eat for breakfast, were awesome! BUT: the waiter brought us fries, which we didn't order. As he seemed very angry and without any "Hoşgeldiniz" (welcome) and "afiyet olsun" (enjoy your meal) I was really afraid to criticise about the fries. Although I spoke Turkish to him the whole time, only after we paid the bill (including the fries!), he at least said "afiyet olsun". Nevertheless I highly recommend this place and would definitely go back there! read more

Ziya Baba - Fries, salad, Menemen, rice. - Turkish Near Me - Istanbul, 34

The place like a lot of local restaurants is pretty low key. Don't let the decor fool you. I ordered lentil soup and chicken wings. The food was wonderful!!! Highly recommended! Total meal cost was $6. read more

Ziya Baba - Chicken wings plate. - Turkish Near Me - Istanbul, 34

The best and cheapest food we had in istanbul so far after almost a month, small, cozy place, the wife cooks and the husband served

In a sea of overpriced tourist trap restaurants with subpar food this place is an absolute GEM. I had a delicious lentil soup (accompanied by really nice bread) followed by hands down the BEST chicken kabob I've ever had in Turkey, and I've lived here for years. Service was great and the prices for the area are unbeatable. Do yourself a favor and definitely check it out! read more

Wow. This is a hole in the wall you would hope to find when you are in istanbul. Amazing food and good prices. Everything tastes 10/10. Get the chicken wrap, chicken salad and lentil soup. Seriously food here was the best tasting I had in istanbul. What a great find. read more

See all

This has been my favorite place to eat in Istanbul! the owner is extremely kind and honest. The food tasted as good if not better than a place we paid double the price for The masjid is also right next there, big plus! read more

Well-priced and tasty food. Mostly locals. I was the only tourist there. Lentil soup was delicious. Chicken kebab wrap (durum) was ridiculously good--so juicy and chargrilled with cushy bread. Tea has a nice accent of what I think is rose water. read more

Saw this mom and pop restaurant close to my hostel and gave it a try. I had the bbq wings and grilled chicken salad and both were delicious! The meals also came with free bread. Only 34 liras ($6 usd) total so it was a steal. Will be back here when I visit Istanbul again! read more

Ziya Baba - Turkish Near Me - Istanbul, 34

It's good quiet place and prises is very good I will visit again definitely recommended to order kabab read more

Ziya Baba - Menu - Turkish Near Me - Istanbul, 34

Excellent slow food, fast! The kebab plates were the best we had while in Istanbul and the most affordable to boot (for the budget conscious travelers). We tried some other places highly rated on TripAdvisor for kebabs but none came close to this place and none could beat the prices either -- nearly one third of the price a similar restaurant in the more high traffic tourist areas would charge for the same meal. It is a little bit outside of the main tourist area but it was literally a stone's throw away from our hotel, so we were very lucky. We dined here twice and absolutely loved both meals. read more

Ziya Baba - kebab platter - Turkish Near Me - Istanbul, 34

Good, fresh and yummy! . Very cheap and not very touristy. We had the testi kabob which is cooked I a clay pot. Delicious read more

Ziba Baba is amazing. We were tourists, but the place was clearly for the locals. The food was exceptional across the board. The chicken was moist and full of flavor, and the kebabs were just unbelievable. Finally, the owner (manager?) was really attentive and helped us manage despite the fact we only spoke English. Really standup service from a place too good for tourists. read more

The food was really good and had a lot of flavor in comparison to some of the other places we've tried. Two of us had the chicken wrap and two of us had the chicken plate with rice. We also ordered fries. Fries needed salt but they were great. However I had to remove 2 stars because the waiter was a grump the whole time we were there. He was not friendly at all. Other than that, I definitely enjoyed my meal. Food is great and even better price. For all of the food listed along with 4 drinks, it came out to a little over 16 US read more

Great food. Has an outside seating area with awning. The narrow street is active so you can people-watch while enjoying your meal. Husband and wife run the store and are very nice people. We had meneme and eggs with sausage. It was quite delicious. It was a fraction of what we pay near the tourist trap zones. Cheap and delicious! read more

Finally, after total defeat at every single restaurant and bar in the area for food and drinks at unreasonable price , here's the authentic local Turkish cuisine with fresh ingredient at half of the price and twice the quality. read more

Ziya Baba - Turkish Near Me - Istanbul, 34

If you're looking for a delicious and cheap eating experience in Istanbul, look no further. We walked through the Arasta bazaar to get here. The food was incredible. We had a grilled chicken salad and a meat wrap (??) It was soooo delicious and so cheap. The owner and some people sitting near us also suggested we try the very turkish drink "Ayran," which we did and really enjoyed (it's a weird milky drink that tastes a lot like greek yogurt. totally delicious. would be great in a smoothie). Totally check it out. People watching is great, and there is lots of great music piping in from the hookah bar across the street. read more

There are several reasons I really like this place. Usually if I can't get outdoor seating, I'd be on to the next resto.. except all the outside seating was taken by locals. This was exactly what I was looking for. In a touristy city with touristy food and prices, this was a gem. I wanted to eat at least once where the locals eat without having to trek out. I was one of the last to be served before they started turning people away. They ran out of soup so I was sad, but my entire meal only cost me 10Ł and it was delicious. Grumpyish waiter (as i had read), but happy me. I'd eat here again if I was staying longer.. read more