This was my first night in Istanbul and I eased tired from traveling from cappadocia earlier in the…read moreday. This restaurant was close to my hotel and had great reviews on Yelp. When I arrived there was only one other customer inside. The restaurant decor was cute and I very comfortable. The staff were friendly and welcoming. This spot was a bit pricey just like most of the restaurants in this touristy area. I had certain Turkish entrees i wanted to try during my vacation. I ordered the Iskender kebab which is beef and pita bread covered with tomato sauce with yogurt on the side. I ordered a side salad to go with it. The dish was very delicious as you can tell in one of my pics. I chatted with some of the staff about life in Istanbul. I was offered some complimentary pomegranate tea before I left and it hit the spot. This is definitely a place to check out when you're in the area.

A MUST TRY. As an American, I have been SO impressed with food here in Turkey and if you are in the…read morearea, this restaurant is an absolute MUST-TRY if you're looking for great food. I had some of THEE BEST chicken kebab I've ever had in this country here. The beef kebab was also tender and flavorful. You cannot go wrong with any of these! The service was quick and prompt, and the servers were great at making recommendations. I came here in the winter so we sat indoors which felt a bit cramped however, there is also outdoor seating during the nicer weather months. If I'm ever back here in Istanbul, I would definitely come back. And if you're reading this, you NEED to try the Old Ottoman!

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.

On a culinary tour in Istanbul, Turkey with Culinary Backstreets and Milk Street. They guided us…read morethrough the markets, gave us historical highlights and fed us at all levels from fine dining, food stall and street vendors. All of the places have been vetted by our guides as they share a personal connection with the very friendly vendors. Sehzade Cag Kebap was hands down, the best lamb kabobs I've ever had. The staff here are rock stars, smiling, engaging with patrons and welcoming everyone to stick your head into the kitchen and view the succulent wheel of lamb meat. Your sense heighten as you sit and get ready to eat one of the best lamb dishes I've ever had. This feeling was shared with several members of our tour. Language could of been an issue here, but the smiling and friendly staff watched intensely as we inhaled their delicious entree. Their condiments were onions, red pepper paste, pomegranate molasses, tomatoes and plenty of homemade bread. They allow the star, "savory lamb meat" to be featured and not be buried by the accutramonts. It is a truely stunning dish and voted #9 in the world for best kabob. If you are in the market of the Old City, please look up Sehzade Cag Kebap, your taste buds will thank you. To the amazing team, excited about their talented skills, thank you for this incredible meal. Great quality food, we will return!

Friendly service, good food and great people-watching from our table on a heated outdoor patio. The…read moreTesti Kabob is almost worth ordering just for the fun and dramatic presentation of the dish (watch the video, if Yelp accepts it.) Once poured out of the clay pot, it turned out to be a hearty and savory dish almost like a stew, but made with kabob. I enjoyed the pistachio kofta plate, and the hummus appetizer was tasty. Good spot in the heart of Old Town.

Wonderful food in the heart of old Istanbul. Warm friendly service. Loved the Thai curry and…read moreTurkish wines.

We were looking around in the area (close to the Sultanahmet Square) for a restaurant to dine at…read more There's plenty on this street, we checked out menu-s and prices and we settled on Sultan Mehmet because of their menu - specialized in traditional Turkish food, smaller menu - not a hodgepodge podge of pasta, chicken schnitzel and local dishes. Prices are more reasonable, the decor is cute, modern, with a traditional take. It does help to see the lady making pies and baking pita bread from the outside window and a prep bar full of fresh ingredients- meats prepared for kebabs, fresh vegetables and mezze-s. It was never crowded, but they had just enough customers around to have a lively atmosphere. We sat at a lower table where you can sit on pillows on the floor for a genuine experience. We didn't know we had to take our shoes off upon entering the area and got a tad scolded, we weren't trying to be disrespectful. After a day of walking and exploring it was nice to take them off and sit comfortably on pillows. Staff is nice, some speak English, I also learnt a few basic words and expressions and it helped communication. We got fresh squeezed Pomegranate juice (they don't serve alcohol here), shared a mixed filling pie (minced beef, spinach, feta cheese) which was warm, delicious, made on the spot by the lady and also shared a beef kebab portion. Plenty of food, fresh, full of flavors, nicely cooked. We finished with a traditional Apple tea inspired by our French next table neighbors. We enjoyed the restaurant, the food, the comfort, the coziness so much that we came here for dinner the next 2 nights - don't laugh! We were eager to try other dishes we notices people around us ordered. Also it was close enough to our hotel. Next night we got their mezze-s - you have to try the platter, even veggies you might not like/love on the platter you will finish, they taste so good, nicely marinated and infused with various herbs. Don't love mushrooms, but how they prepared them, with dill on top, they were amazing! We got a bit swindled in getting the big Kofta kebab platter, but boy it was sooo good, that we ended up finish it since we shared everything! They also got us some fresh pita bread just made by the lady next to us! We tried their mixed juice of fresh squeezed orange and pomegranate, pretty good! Our third was had a simpler menu - feta cheese pie and chicken kebab, smaller portion. We liked the waiter we had that nice the best, nice, chatty, he recommended us a Turkish soda which was fun to try, their version of Sprite. Service is not fast, but attentive and we wanted a slower pace to take it all in. They accept credit cards as well! Nice atmosphere, fresh traditional food, great respite after a day of exploring. It was nice to sit on the comfy pillows, watch the street life, the food they were making, neighbor people from various countries, all in for the Turkish dinner experience!

They messed up our order about 4 times, bringing out completely different things that we never…read moreordered. First off, we sat for 20 minutes before anyone came up to us and we ordered 2 plates of urfa (no spicy) kebabs and a chicken shish kebab all of them with normal rice (the only one who really spoke English said they had rice but it would take about 10 minutes to make which we agreed to). The first round of dishes they brought to us was an urfa kebab and chicken wings; 1 right : 1 wrong. 10 minutes later the brought us 2 plates of kebab and we took what they told us was an urfa kebab, it was not but we kept it anyways because it didn't matter; 1 right : 3 wrong. Finally, after a total of us sitting there for over 40 minutes, our final and correct dish came. The overall service was very slow and very disorganized. We had to repeat our order multiple times to the guy who could speak English. The food was good but the overall service doesn't make it worth it since we spent an hour and a half at this place. A thing to note to anyone who wants to visit because of the floor tables, don't. We went during the summer when it was pretty hot and in order to sit at the floor tables you have to take your shoes off so after a while the place starts to smell of feet. Overall, if I ever went back to Turkey I would skip this place in favor for something else nearby. Okay food but bad service and a not so pleasant foot smell.

I came here w/ my friends the first night I arrived. The food was delish, the vibe was great, our…read morebill was a little on the high side for a touristy area. We tried the dish that comes on the little clay pot, we smoked shisha, the wine list was not that great but everything we ate was delicious and we had a great time.

Sura Kebab and Grill House is Sura Design Hotel and Suites' restaurant. The service here is above…read moreand beyond. Staff is always courteous and very attentive. The food is excellent...had stuffed calamari and seafood casserole, pottery kebab, lentil soup, seafood casserole, among other things...The house wines compliment the food quite nicely--great balance of dryness and sweetness. In our week-long stay here in Sura Design Hotel, we usually stop by for cocktails prior to retiring for the day. Since the waitstaff know I love green olives, I don't even need to ask, they serve it to me on the house. Love the casual ambience in their outdoor seating. It is a great spot for people watching. We come back to this restaurant each day because we know the quality of the food and the service. I highly recommend this restaurant.

After a morning spent exploring the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia, our hungry family was thrilled to…read morefind this restaurant a stone's throw away from these iconic landmarks. The menu is minimalistic but makes up for its simplicity in the flavor it brings. Service is very fast and as with all things in Istanbul, very courteous. We tried the Izgara kofte and the Lamb Shish Kebap, a side of Corba (lentil soup), seasonal salad, some pickled peppers and a round of Ayran to wash it all down. And wrapped up the meal with the Semolina Halwa and Baked Rice Pudding to share. Delicious. Highly recommend!!

I am trying this restaurant because around this town this restaurant this is a famous one. It is…read moreknown for its meatballs. That don't looks like round lol. They are so famous here that the menu has them listed as the only main thing and everything else listed is a side dish or dessert. The Turkish meatballs were good. They come around with a red spicy sauce you can add to it. They had a nice taste to them. I got French fries and rice as a side. I loved the rice. The fries were different for me. It was a different type of potato that I had never had. It was good. The service was crazy fast. The staff is none stop moving. They come around to refresh things. They clean tables right away. It was impressive. It is a good thing that they do because the line for this place is long. It wraps around the restaurant. It's a must try place. I am glad I did

Our first food here in Turkey. Welcoming staff. Sweet waiter that took our order very promptly…read more Restaurant appears small from the outside, but actually has a second floor with more seating. Very clean bathrooms were a bonus downstairs also. Food was served quickly with an excellent portion size. I ordered the beef wrap and fries with a Pepsi. It was supposed to have been a small lunch, but was actually very filling. I will say the meat could've used a sauce. Something to cut all the grease that it was covered in. I did try someone else's chicken and it was even more in need of a flavorful sauce. That being said, it is served with ketchup and mayonnaise, which is familiar to us, but not the sauce I had in mind. Overall though, great first stop.

One of our favorite meals in Istanbul. The meat was so juicy and flavorful in both the spicy adana…read moreand the chicken. And mixed perfectly with the onions, tomatoes, and cilantro. A wrap is not too large; most of us ordered seconds. Prices were als9 fantastic. Limited indoor and outdoor seating, but we were able to be seated easily Wednesday evening.

This place is absolutely amazing! I started with the Mevlana Salata which was so wonderfully…read moreflavored and the dressing was so light. I also got the Karsik Testi and this is like having a dinner show at the table. It was so tasty!! The bread was excellent to lap up the sauce. At the end they even serve you complimentary Turkish tea and baklava. So amazing!!

Excellent food - ambiance was better inside than the street. Servers were very friendly (and quick)…read moreeven though very little English spoken. Had a great meal. Much recommended. They serve free Turkish bread, messo, and after dinner tea.

Khorasani stands out even in the midst of tourist-catering restaurant! While it also catered mainly…read moretoward tourists, this restaurant nonetheless makes an excellent meal stop because of its delicious dishes, generous additions, and good service. After a long intercontinental flight, I wanted a quick meal near the Blue Mosque and my prior research pointed me to this restaurant based on past positive reviews. As soon as I sat down and ordered my dish, I was greeted with a small basket of bread with garlic hummus dip. Initially, I suspected that this was a trick to tack on extra charge, but the waiter ensure that it's on the house! I tried the bread with the dip, and loved the softness of the bread and the garlic savory taste of the hummus dip. It was a good start to my first meal in Turkey - and to think that I used to dislike hummus in the US! Then my entree of Adana kebab arrived. Made from finely-grounded lamb meat, the Adana kebab was surprisingly filling and packed with flavors, even though it looked deceptively small-portioned and unremarkable. On the same plate, the included rice pilaf was another delicious surprise with subtle flavors and the salad vegetable was fresh and crisp. For about 30 TL, the dish was a delicious mini feast! When I asked for the bill, the waiter asked if I would like a cup of tea and knowing my suspicious nature, added that it's complimentary. At first I declined but as I was paying my bill, I noticed that everyone - locals and tourists - around me had a tulip-shaped cup of tea and it dawned upon me that tea was an important drink in Turkey (a fact that I verified later in my trip) so I changed my mind and requested for the tea. Even after I paid my bill, the waiter without hesitation brought me the complimentary tea to end my meal. Overall, the total charge was 36 TL, which included water and 10% service. While it's the typical cost of a meal especially in the Sultanhamet area, you certainly would get more food from the same price because of the complimentary bread, hummus, and tea. In addition, the meal here remains one of the best I had in Istanbul and is comparable to the authentic meal I had outside the tourist district, so I definitely recommend dining here when you need a nice sit-down meal in Sultanahmet.

1. The menu for the salad I ordered did not include red peppers, but they were in there (I had to…read morepick them out). The food was fine (we didn't eat much) 2. The service was essentially non-existent. He took our order and it was delivered. Noone ever checked to ask if we were OK and we were right by the front door and 2 of them were outside. Nobody was friendly, just all biz. 3. We ultimately went inside to pay because someone sat at the only table with an ashtray and lit up (right by the entrance which is a bad idea).

The best food at all you should try dorum and kebap the chef is very clean and welcomedread more

The food is amazing! The owners are thoughtful. The chef exudes charisma. The service is…read moreimpeccable. The ambiance is incredible and your night will surely end with singing and dancing. This is by far my favorite spot for kebab and yeni raki.