Istanbul is a fascinating cosmopolitan city with tons of eateries spread across its massively sprawling landscape. I spent considerable time researching the ONE restaurant our group of two families (4 adults, 3 kids aged 13-15) would visit during our overnight stop while on the Norwegian Viva cruise ship. I kept coming back to Gulhane Sark Sofrasi while researching and decided this was our spot. After all, it has 5,246 Tripadvisor reviews and is ranked the #5 restaurant in Istanbul. The food, service and outdoor ambience were all fantastic. Oh, the house cat was fantastic, too, and sure was protective of its turf, scaring away any other cats who dared try snagging any dropped food. My gals ordered what I felt were plain (less exotic?) chicken dishes but they really enjoyed them. My daughter chose the Sultan's Favorite. My best buddy's daughter ordered a steak which looked fantastic. His wife ordered an eggplant dish and some protein according to her strict diet (for health reasons) as well as shrimp and grilled veggies. Us boys shared the mixed appetizer plate with delicious dips and dolmas as well as, the recommended "Adana the Classsic" kebab ($16) and some kind of cheesey meaty casserole/stew (either the Dana Guvec or the Kuzu Guvec) ~$23 that was also recommended to us. The kebab was absolutely fantastic although I didn't love the casserole/stew which seemed to me to have less flavor. The dips were awesome, especially the Turkish "salsa". I felt $30 for their House Wine & $16 for a Margarita were a little steep but maybe those are common price points for Istanbul. The entrees too were a little pricier than in mainland Greece but again, Istanbul definitely seemed more advanced and modern. I highly recommend Gulhane Sark Sofrasi and would definitely go back! read more

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Very nice restaurant with live music when we got there. The menu is varied and the staff speaks English. We got a chicken kebab and a regular kebab. Both were good but a bit salty for our palate. Very friendly staff...as in truly friendly and welcoming......Nice patio dining. read more

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This is another tourist spot. The staff were friendly, and they didn't try to over sell. They were pretty chill. The food is great well flavored. We were stuffed. There are more cats here and some will jump and sit next to you which I love and don't mind at all. read more

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After long time sightseeing at Topkapi Palace, we decided to have early dinner around the area. I checked Yelp because I didn't want to mischoice what I eat especially during the trip, (Thank you Yelp!!!!) then find this place. Walking down the street, and turn left side street, easy to find this place. It was getting cold, so we chose inside table(outside table you can enjoy shisha-hookah-）, awwww, somebody made warm my seat! lol!! Turkey is very kind for animals, and little kitten was sleeping on the sofa. How cute. Restaurant staff asked us we have any allergy for cat just in case. Their service was nice. We ordered Kuzu Sis (Lamb Shish), Ali Nazik (classic kebab with aubergine, yoghurt, tomato, butter sauce), Dondurma (Home Ice Cream), and çhai tea(I was freezing & cold, but after we ate, they served Çhay to us). They asked us having some humus? and answered yes! They served us Humus and Acili Ezme (they didn't charge for these), Humus was very smooth and Acili Ezme was little spicy, but they're so tasty! Our meals were both yum!!! Dessert ice cream was also good!!! End of the dinner they served Çhai tea for us. We did enjoy our dinner! Anyway, during we enjoyed our dinner the staff came and took kitten for feeding dinner! read more

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Service was excellent. Lamb shank was not done right meat wasn't tender flavorful . Fish dish was done properly very tasty. Romantic rainy day sitting up outside that was great environmen. They offered free apple tea for complement that a great service . Thanks read more

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This restaurant was perfect! Authentic and tasty food, great service and cool location off the main path. Service was great and the staff really looked after me with recommendations and sweet complimentary items as I am single woman traveling I felt very safe. I will be back the vibe was amazing. read more

Gülhane Şark Sofrası - Spicy kebab - Turkish Near Me - Istanbul, 34

Stopped in for a light, late lunch. Very friendly staff (and cats!). Started out with complementary meze of bread and dips (ezme, hummus). Then had what they called karnıyarık, but it didn't have meat so I would call it İmam bayıldı, a stuffed eggplant dish, which was outstanding. They provided complementary tea and a small piece of baklava to finish, which was also good. A couple of days later, we stopped in again and had grape leaf dolmades and an eggplant kabob with lamb köfte. Again, both were outstanding. They got into a friendly discussion of spicy chilies with me, and actually roasted a nice chile from their garden to test my spice tolerance (no problem, and they were impressed!) Fun place, good traditional Turkish food, and they genuinely seem to like tourists. What's not to like? read more

Great food, with warm service and a comfortable setting.Everything was very fredh and flavorful

GO HERE! I made the unfortunate mistake of staying in Fatih, when I am such a foodie. It's been hard to find local good spots w/o going towards Galata Bridge. This is a GEM in fatih area. The service is IMPECCABLE. Essentially fine dining, they are vigilant and make sure you have what you need at all times. The owner had to debone my fish for me because I had no idea what I was doing. Anyway I've spent more on lesser places here... Seabass flaked right off the bone. Very well cooked and seasoned. Hummus was sublime. The soup was a bit coarse but I was happy that it was obviously fresh left instead of packaged soup. Very very good. They had a live singer, which heightened the mood :) and as always cats ‍ read more

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My family's favorite restaurant in Istanbul, and we ate at quite a few. My husband is a cook, and he said the food was the best Turkish food he has ever had. I don't eat beef or lamb, so I had a lot of chicken. This place made it the best--tender, juicy and the portions were generous. My 12-year-old son loved the lounging cats, and the apple tea. The staff were amazing, and the atmosphere was cozy and inviting. The owner made sure we were well taken care of. The location is central for visitors staying in Sultanahmet. Overall, it has a relaxed, inviting vibe and the food was excellent. Turkish hospitality at its best! read more

Gülhane Şark Sofrası - Turkish Near Me - Istanbul, 34

I love Turkish food for why I husband search in yelp and bring me this Restaurent . We ordered lamb shake & hamsi(small fish dish ) Hamsi was good Lamb tasted not good Service was good they offered tea & apple tea free complimentary. Rainy day very romantic environment & ambiance. read more

This cozy find was the perfect ending to the day. Everyone was so warm and accommodating, it felt like I was home for a home cooked meal! The food was fantastic! The Chicken Shish Kebab was perfectly grilled on the outside and so tender and juicy on the inside. The baklava was some of the best I've ever tasted. Homemade, sweet, and flavorful. This is a little slice of heaven in Sultanahmet! read more

Gülhane Şark Sofrası - Turkish Near Me - Istanbul, 34

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Small lively spot tucked into a side street across from Gulhane park. The ambience is warm, sweet, artsy and casual. On this night it was packed. We ordered the chicken shish kebab, chicken linguini and manti. There are a lot of menu items, and we strayed a bit from the usual fare since it seems we've had iskender and adana kebap for days. All of the dishes were ok but not worth a trip across town. Service was fast and attentive, but not the most cordial. A thanks and a goodbye without a look in the eye. Also the house cat seems to have a run of the place. Chicken shish: 6/10 Chicken linguini: 6/10 Manti: 5/10 With 2 sodas and 2 pomegranate teas, price came out to $60-70 USD. read more

Complimentary pita bread with hummus and tomato dip (not sure what it's called) and complimentary tea and baklava. Great service. Takes credit card. The servers spoke English, which was really helpful. We got the stuffed chicken and the lamb beef kebab in a cream sauce, omg this was all so good. 10/10 recommend. Seating was outside and very hot, for some reason they didn't have the fans going but I think with the fans on and maybe some misters it would have been a little more comfortable. I wish we were hungrier because we wanted to try more food. read more

Gülhane Şark Sofrası - Great food - Turkish Near Me - Istanbul, 34

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We read all the reviews, and they are correct. This is a great restaurant. The setting is nice, we loved the outside. The food is very good, very tasty and good portions. Sure, it is not cheap but you do have a great dining experience. The appetizers, the main and the desserts are all great. Service is very good. If you are looking for a quick bite and are on a budget, this is not it. If you want to spend some time and enjoy a true Turkish meal, this is the place. We went back a few times, the owner even reserved us a spot. read more

Amazing restaurant in Istanbul and great service. Was in Istanbul with my son for a night. The server, who just so happened to have the same name as my son, made the experience extra special. From the friendly cats that enjoyed my son sending some kababs their way, to the unbelievably tasty food, and complimentary baklava at the end... just an amazing experience. Great folks, great food, great ambience... read more

MOST AMAZING FOOD & HOSPITALITY!!! On our recent visit to Istanbul it was our very good fortune to be walking past the wonderful "GÜLHANE ŞARK SOFRASI" restaurant one afternoon when we were enticed by seeing the happy people sitting at the tables out front enjoying their tasty meals and libations. The accommodating waiter allowed us to sit Parisian cafe style so we could watch the passersby on this lovely street. After looking at the many menu offerings and feeling undecided due to some allergy concerns, the charming chef, Dagistan, came to our table to inquire about my food limitations and surprised me with a dish he made up just to please my tastes! A most delicious salmon dish. My partner was equally pleased with his yummy lamb. We ended up staying for quite some time, enjoying the delish food, good wine, and great music playing in the background. We returned later that night for dinner to further explore the amazing meal offerings. Needless to say, we ended up returning there every night for the rest of our stay that week in Istanbul. Our hosts, Dagistan, Moses and Ömer always welcomed us warmly as they did all their guests, and we felt like part of the family. Now, every time we go back to Istanbul, we can feel like we're going home again! Can't wait! read more

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Place is super under rated here on this app. Hidden gem up a steep hill--but be sure to follow the music and check this place out. Coming out from New York City-- hands down best service and food I've had in a while. The owner, Bilal --a young, hip, and wholesome dude-- went above and beyond and you can really feel how much he cares about giving people who dine here a good time. I don't often feel compelled to write reviews but this was definitely worth it. Great, fun and cozy escape from the glitz and glam of the main road to the Hagia Sophia. read more

We loved this restaurant. Very nice atmosphere, wonderful music, and tasty food. Also, very good service. Definitely recommend it to try

Stopped here late at night to grab some food as it was near our hostel and had an amazing experience at this cozy restaurant. The food was delicious, service was amazing and the owner came out to chat with us for some time providing great recommendations for other things to do while in Istanbul! Highly recommend!! read more

Great kebabs, excellent service, complimentary tea and deserts; certainly this is the place to go if you're around

The service and the food were absolutely amazing. The hostess was gracious and helpful; the food we got (eggplant kebab and vegetable platter) tasted very good, and we could tell time and effort had been put in to serve delicious food. The hostess even treated us to a complementary bread appetizers before our food arrived and Turkish tea after our meal. Absolute must in the area for tourists, regardless of what kind of food and experience you're looking for! read more

Gülhane Şark Sofrası - Complementary tea we got - Turkish Near Me - Istanbul, 34

This was a great place to have lunch, or probably dinner. We walked by it last night and it was packed. We had calamari and stuffed grape leaves for lunch. The staff was very helpful and not pesky. There aren't very many people around now- political weather? This place was an oasis! read more

Gülhane Şark Sofrası - One of the staff under the entrance of this restaurant. - Turkish Near Me - Istanbul, 34

This restaurant's staff was very nice & professional & very helpful when I was looking for a stew to eat that was known as a Turkish dish. Emrah was extremely helpful on helping us find what we were looking for. We ordered the Turkish salad-nice...& ordered as recommended a wonderful-tasty-meat casserole (cooked in clay pot) along with rice. There was warmed pita and sauce served as well. IT WAS DELICIOUS! Seasoned perfectly. Emrah gave us complimentary teas & baklava to end our dinner!! Along with the excellent staff was wonderful music to enjoy the ambiance. We highly recommend this restaurant-it was like being at a friend's or family home & being served the tastiest dish that took hours to make & making sure you are happy & full! Thank you all again-especially Emrah - enjoyed your generosity, hospitality & TASTY DELIGHTFUL meal! Linda&Dana from LA-USA read more

One of us had the the lamb chops the other chicken shish kabob; both were great. The service was friendly and prompt, the atmosphere was casual and the prices reasonable. This is a place to come back to. read more

We walked past this restaurant yesterday and thought it looked interesting and inviting. Today we walked past going from Gülhane Park to the Grand Bazaar and looked at the menu. We decided we had to give it a try on the way back to our hotel in Sultanahmet. The proximity to Sultanahmet is the least of the reasons to eat at this restaurant. The convivial atmosphere is enhanced by very wonderful staff who are very friendly and helpful while not being imposing. Add to that some of the best food we have found in our multiple trips to Istanbul. This place is fabulous and I can not rate it highly enough. We are in Istanbul a few more days and will be eating here again before our departure. read more

This is a very nice restaurant, we had a great dinner. The hosts were nice and took very good care of us, with good suggestions to help us decide the menu. We appreciated that they were helpful but not pushy. Food was excellent, very good portions and prices very reasonable. We were even invited to tea and a pastry. We felt vey good treated and we would go back anytime. read more