Delicious and massive amount of food at a reasonable price. The chicken casserole was amazing. Make…read moresure you get Mohammad as your server-he's the best!

There are so many Turkish cafés and restaurants in the area, so why did we keep coming back here?…read moreDuring this trip, I was traveling with a big family, which meant we weren't necessarily searching for the absolute best or most trendy food - we just wanted something reliable, familiar, friendly, and affordable. Ortaklar Kebap delivered exactly that. The restaurant gets quite busy during lunch and dinner hours, but they have three floors of dining space, so seating usually moves along fairly well, even with larger groups. As for the food, several dishes stood out: Grilled Sea Bass (Levrek) - 4/5. My pescatarian in-law absolutely loved this dish. The fish had beautifully blistered skin with a noticeable charcoal-grilled flavor that wasn't overpowering. Inside, the sea bass was flaky, moist, and flavorful. Falafel - 3.5/5. The falafels themselves were decent, but what really made the dish enjoyable was the generous assortment of sides that accompanied them. Ortaklar Special Kebab - 4/5. This was probably the family's favorite. The kebab had a wonderful wood-fired aroma, with nicely charred meat on the outside while staying juicy and succulent inside. Overall, this is a solid Turkish restaurant for families seeking tasty, satisfying food in a casual, welcoming setting. It may not be the fanciest spot around, but it's dependable, affordable, and somewhere we found ourselves happily returning to throughout the trip.

This place was fantastic. I was in for lunch and the servers were very nice and explained the menu…read moreto me. At the beginning they brought out a salad and some red lentil kofte that was delicious. For my main meal I went with the yogurt kebab and it was wonderful as well. It was a generous portion of well seasoned meat over pide and yogurt with a flavorful sauce.

First time here after looking for a good İskender. Not disappointed. We had several different types…read moreof İskender dishes. All good. Meat was tender and delicious. Bread was served with mild spicy sauce to start. Would come back!

This is a place to drink Raki not talk politics, as I was told. Seriously, there is a rule not to…read moretalk politics here. Raki is too serious a drink and the mix of that and political emotions can be an explosive mix. Ask the server there about this unwritten rule (if you can get someone to translate for you). A small quaint place off the tourist beat. I found this on a tour with the fantastic guide by the name if Katerina. Check out the Culinary Backstreets Tour of Istanbul.

This place is to die for. Promise…read more This was our very first non-airport meal in Istanbul and we loved it. We went in here after walking up and down the little restaurant street twice. Since all the waiters will be trying to cajole you into their restaurant, you need to walk with a determined look on your face while casually letting your eyes survey in your peripheral vision. When we got to the end of the street, my friend and I turned to each other and surprisingly both said "the one with all the world flags hung up inside?" "Done." So we walked back down the street with the same determined look in our eye, avoiding all the charming waiters except the one for this restaurant. We got seated at the very top, where we got a nice view of the street. We had two appetizers and one entree each: the sarma, caviar, coban salad and a kebab dinner. I can't say enough good things about the sarmas. Nothing I have ever tasted before in any Turkish restaurant in the US compares. At all. Needless to say, we wiped all our little plates clean and were satisfied until the next morning, when we ventured out for a pastry shop breakfast.