Walking around Istanbul and needing an authentic dinner place....i, of course, turned to yelp for…read morehelp! Found this place close by with ravishing reviews, so why not. Get there and easily seated. Small place but people were constantly going in and out and place was buzzing with tourist and locals alike. Menu properly labelled with prices so not a tourist trap. Sat down and ordered the lamb chops and the Adana kebabs (minced meat). Both dishes outstanding. The lamb chops were the best I've ever had. Grilled just right to perfection. Seasoned well with Turkish spices and meat was juicy. The kebabs were the same. Juicy and succulent and perfectly seasoned. Came with complimentary lavash and spicy hummus dip and some pickled veggies. Service quick and portion sizes just right. When in Istanbul, a must try for sure. Cheers! Happy eating!

I was going to try the turkey lamb chop. So I pick a restaurant close to grand plaza. It was close…read moreto the tram station. There are four chops in the set. The chop was pan fried to almost well. I am guessing they don't ask about the temperature. Overall the food is good. The meat here is a bit tougher than the United State. They are likely seasoned. The meal comes with grilled pepper, tomato and turkey blow bread.

Istanbul was love not just because of the history and architecture but most importantly for its…read morefood. The sweets and savory both are on point. You can actually go to a hole in the wall and get the best kababs or baklava or halwas every eatery is a sheer joy. So this is one of the best places for a kababfest all over Yelp, YouTube influencers backing that and also the most recommended place on internet based reviews. We chose a non busy time it wasn't that packed. This restaurant is not compact but definitely crowded in the sense that tables are very close to one another. The staff is extremely polite, helpful and friendly. We ordered a little bit of everything including liver. Each item was bursting of flavor and the meat used was top notch quality. Price point isn't bad. Do google the menu with pricing and these change quite often in places like Turkey which is a tourist hub. We paid with credit card no issues. The food came out piping hot and within reasonable grilling time. Definitely recommend this place it's a haven for meat lovers I can't wait to go back this is a solid 5 on 5 for me.

In Istanbul, Turkey on a food tour with Culinary Backstreet. It was a fabulous trip. Our next to…read morefinal night, we were treated to an interactive dining feast at Zubeyir Ocakbasi. This place is preformance art. We were seating at the pit master's table side. The chef is an amazing cog that makes this restaurant thrive with delicious meats. Tonight, we did not order food but were served by the pit master and his favorite creations. We dined on liver skewers with lamb tail fat, grilled garlic, lamb chops, kebobs, grilled onions, spicy breads, grilled peppers, and grilled tomatoes. It was entertaining, warm and completely interactive. The mezzes were also delicious but one has to be cautious not to load up on the salads. I cannot convey just how much fun it was to sit table side tonight. As engaging as the pit master was, his cooking skills are second to none with respect to his grill. If you are headed to Istanbul and looking for a new adventure with scrumptious grilled food, get reservations at Zubeyir Ocakbasi. The environment is engaging, light and just plain fun. I tip my hat to the restaurant, the pit master and to our tour guide for making this evening memorable.

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.

We visited once early in our trip, and had a great meal with excellent service…read more Later we were in the same area. We were open to trying other restaurants in the area. One was closed, and the other was overpriced (and we only found out after we had sat down). So we returned to this known good cafe. Our waiter, who had last seen us a month ago, remembered us. A real caring guy. This time, we ordered the Ali Nazik Kebap. Often kebap dishes in Türkiye are served a bit dry. Buhara's dish, on the other hand, was well-seasoned and presented well on a bed of smoked aubergine. I'd eat here all the time if I were a local.

Our first meal in Istanbul was at Buhara. What a group of friendly people to welcome us. The food…read morewas delicious and we are so happy we found it. Thank you.

We came here for a late dinner around 9:30 pm, right after our hammam experience right next door…read more We ordered the lamb chops and testi kebap (clay pot stew). All our food were prepared well and delicious. Affordable prices. We ordered beers but the very friendly and generous owner, Yunus, gave us more drinks, raki (turkish liquor), which was great. Plus, he gave us baklava for dessert. We had fun conversations and were entertained by Yunus and his assistant the whole time. Walking distance from Hagia sofia. Highly recommended.

Beikoz Kebabs; tender cubes of beef steak enveloped with thin slices of egg plants in tomato sauce…read morewith a little white rice and some green lettuce. They treated us with some fresh yogurt, egg plant salad and a little mixed salad which had minced tomatoes, cucumbers and probably a little onion too. We had the appetizer with freshly made bread prior to our order....so good! It was ok the house by the way, then after our dinner we were served fresh bites of baklava and some mint tea. Loved it! Great hospitality and delicious food. Ask for Malik if you remember, he will take good care of yo8z

My husband found this restaurant because it was one of the closest ones to our hotel and had…read moregluten/dairy free options. We walked in and were told because we didn't have a reservation that there was only one table, but they were very nice and seated us quickly. It was our first meal in Istanbul and we were tired from our travels, so it was a little overwhelming when they came by with a giant platter of appetizers for us to choose from. We didn't pick any, but they did look tasty. My husband got a pide and I got the gluten free and vegan one. The kitchen was open, so it was nice to watch the guy happily making the pide. Mine was really delicious - the crust was crunchy and held up well with the pile of vegetables on it. Great way to start our trip here! My husband ordered dessert and they even made up a gluten and dairy free dessert for me - it was some type of candied pumpkin with syrup and walnuts. So thoughtful! Definitely 10/10 for the service and also 10/10 for the view.

First time to Turkey and Istanbul. On recommendation from the hotel staff. Utterly amazing…read moreinitiation to real Turkish food. Let the waiter make the food selections from menu. Nailed it! Have eaten a lot of other places in the world and think this rates near the top! patio dinning at night fantastic

We came here for dinner in our second night in Turkey, and thoroughly enjoyed it... we loved the…read morekunefe the most, and it was our favourite out of all the ones we had in Istanbul! The ambiance here is beautiful - hidden in a small alley on a road beside the Galata Tower, there are lights and music that fill up the narrow path here. Outside seating is super quaint, and the inside of the restaurant is nice too, decorated in a very traditional way. We started off with a shepherds salad because I was in desperate need of fibre after two days of straight protein and carbs . It was a simple Mediterranean style salad, with tomato, onions, cucumbers, and parsley. We then shared a chicken shish and, heavily influenced by the meal we had at Antiochia the day prior, a kebab durum. The durum was good - crispy and meaty - but I think we had the best at Antiochia. It lacked a bit of juice. The chicken shish was delicious though; it was tender, moist, and flavourful. The real star, however, was the kunefe. This dessert was by far the best of its kind we've had in Istanbul! It wasn't too sweet, the inside was creamy (and more mild than some other variations we tried), but it was the clotted cream on top and the pistachio crumble that elevated this to another level. The cream made the dish super buttery and fragrant, adding complexity. Would definitely come again just for the kunefe!

Good and personable service. Medieval decor created a beautiful and unusual atmosphere. The shish…read morekebab was stellar.

Food: We took fish soup, Calamari and Hamsi fish . All tastes not bad . But Hamsi fish little bit…read moremore burn . Calamari is old and hard no taste. Service: Service is very good. They wanted to change the dishes if taste bad. Ambiance: Good and outside setting area and has hitting option.

I got the Sultan's Favorite (Hunkar Begendi), which are beef cubes in a tomato sauce, with roasted…read moreeggplant puree and kashar cheese, which i highly recommend. The beef was fork tender, and all the platters are generous portions. We left very full. Service was friendly and hospitable, and very accommodating to us tourists who didn't speak the language.  The Turkish glass mosaic lamps and chandeliers iconic of the Grand Bazaar lights up this cozy yet elegant venue. If you're in Istanbul and not sure where to eat, this is a solid, reliable pick. Reasonable pricing, fresh, high-quality ingredients, and everything's just so delicious. Great menu of Turkish wines and beers, too.

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).