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.

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!

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!

One of the best dinners we had while in Istanbul! It's located near the Galata Tower and comes with…read morea small section of side Al outdoor seating and a large indoor dining room. To feed my family of three, we ordered the mushroom pasta, manti, and stuffed vegetables. Each dish was full of flavor and well prepared. Even our five-year-old daughter loves everything! My glass of white wine from Turkey and my wife's green cocktail tasted good. Service was excellent and prices fair.

The Salmon was amazing. The flavors and texture and color looked inviting. The staff were attentive…read moreand accommodating. I'd recommend this place.

Great food, great ambiance and the service is top notch!!!…read more We've been there several time during this trip and plan to go back again before we leave. Don't miss experiencing this gem while in Istambul.

Quality mixed meat platter. The side grilled veggies and the yogurt dipping enhanced the flavor of…read morethe platter. Loved hearty fresh salad paired with sweet seafood such as salmon cubes, shrimps, squids. Relaxing background jazz and a appropriate service.

We arrived around 6:30 and a couple of families were already seated. Clean, no hassle, first class…read moreservice, delicious food, quality bar and wine selections, and family atmosphere - so different from most establishments nearby. Our server was so helpful; he even suggested a lower priced wine once he heard our taste preferences. We would be back again except we departed the next day.

We went to Istanbul a few weeks ago. We stumbled upon this restaurant, a few steps from our hotel…read morein the Sultanahmet district. The food didn't disappoint. My family had lamb kebabs, meze platter and I had grilled fish. Everything we had was delicious. We enjoyed dipping our warm pita bread with the different things on the meze platter---baba ganoush, hummus, yogurt, etc. The fish was fresh and good with a sprinkling of lemon. We sat outdoors which was perfect---cool and great for people watching. Service is quick, friendly and engaging. There's like mini fire shows going on at other tables. It was a great start to our Istanbul vacation.

amazing restaurant, beautiful view, helpful staff, and delicious food. I ordered grilled octopus,…read morewhich was amazing. It was a mix mixture of Greek culinary with Turkish spices. The Greek salad was fabulous and of course I ordered a whole Seabass grilled which they were kind enough to give me half portion because I was by myself and they charged me for half meal. I absolutely recommend this place and remember you're going there for a beautiful view of the city.

Good, not great. The waiter seemed put off by us, not very helpful when we asked for suggestions…read more The shrimp we ordered was served on a hot skillet which continued to cook the shrimp so by the time we ate it, it was overcooked. The crab appetizer was very good. The salad was filled with parsley that overpowered the whole salad. Also be prepared for smoke filled rooms. Only about five smokers but they were non stop and made dinner uncomfortable. The positive was the beautiful view!

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.

This restaurant is in the beautiful and posh neighborhood of Karaköy. The moment you walk in, you…read moreunderstand why they are Michelin recognized. The decor is simple, modern, sleek, and very clean, and I love the light blues and the greys, which are very calming. We were immediately seated and made to feel very welcome. The menu looks like it changes very often. The prices were very reasonable, and so much better than the prices for just mediocre, average food in the tourist area of Sultanahmet, so this was a nice break for us. I ordered the meat stew, which was beef and vegetables that were absolutely delicious. The food was very fresh. I had the mantı as well, a traditional dish. It was very delicate and flavorful. What I loved was that the flavors were very balanced, nothing was too overly salty or too sweet. And the wine selection, they have a really nice selection of Turkish wines. It was very delicious, and I would absolutely go back.

A must-try for tourists!…read more The food is absolutely delicious, with a menu offering traditional Turkish dishes. The ambiance is modern yet maintains a relaxed, upscale vibe, making it perfect for both casual outings and special occasions. They are famous for their mezes, and I highly recommend the levrek marin and fava. For mains, the hunkar begendi is amazing! The service is fast, friendly, and attentive, adding to the overall great experience. It's a classic if you're in Istanbul. Also, it's in of the best area to hang, tons to see around. Highly recommended!