Istanbul was love not just because of the history and architecture but most importantly for its food. 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. read more

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In Istanbul, Turkey on a food tour with Culinary Backstreet. It was a fabulous trip. Our next to final 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. read more

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Good food & service. Authentic barbecue Kabob, nice atmosphere. Tried the yogurt drink the first time and it tasted good with the kabob .

Extremely terrible experience. The following behaviors of this restaurant made us feel that they treat customers differently, discriminate against us, and engage in forced consumption: The staff were slack in their work; we called them several times, but they pretended not to hear us. They brought the wrong dishes. We ordered one lamb and one kebab, but the first time they served two lamb dishes. After another staff member scolded the server, the server still giggled and didn't take it seriously. They did not serve us pre-meal bread. When we asked, the staff said it was because we didn't order a salad. However, other customers who also didn't order salad were served bread. Moreover, during the rest of our trip, all the restaurants we visited provided free pre-meal bread. The worst part! When we paid the bill and refused to pay the service charge for the above reasons, the staff forced a 10% service charge without our consent. This is forced consumption!!! We should have turned to the local law enforcement authorities, but doing so would have ruined our entire trip -- and that is exactly why they acted so blatantly. I believe that in any modern country, such behavior is against the law!!! We had a wonderful trip in Turkey, but actions like this disgrace your country!!! read more

Another great restaurant in Istanbul! Super close to Taksim square, nice interior, friendly and quick service. The menu is not overwhelming and you'll find an option for any taste. We ordered Beyti and Tzatziki - both were incredible. Very delicious and decent portion size. Prices on the final check were accurate and overall reasonable. Would definitely come back. read more

Zübeyir Ocakbaşı - Barbeque Near Me - Istanbul, 34

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I had a terrible experience. This place is super over priced, the prices are x4 compared to the menus shared by users from 2023. The inflation has not been 400% in Turkey !! But that was not the main turn off I would pay top dollar for good food. I order the chicken plate and after having couple of bites I realized it was uncooked in the middle. I complained and cancelled my food. Received no apologies and they charged me for half of my food ! My work colleague had a similar experience. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE THERE ARE MANY OTHER GOOD PLACES !! Forgot to mention nobody asked us what we need and we got charged for service !! Unbelievable read more

Zübeyir Ocakbaşı - The chicken plate which was not cooked in the middle - Barbeque Near Me - Istanbul, 34

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With 2 locations in Istanbul Zübeyir Ocakbaşı comes from brothers Hamit and Zübeyir Bey, the relative newness of a Restaurant opened in 2005 in no way suggesting that either space lacks the skills or Ingredient sourcing offered at places that have been around for a hundred years or more. Masters of the grill since the mid-1980s, a philosophy of "service to God is service to humanity" overlying modern and traditional Turkish fare, it is with complimentary Tea that many will begin and end their meal while service is exceedingly pleasant regardless of language barriers. Well-priced for an upscale eatery on the Anatolian side, Appetizer 65-70 Turkish Lira and grilled Meats roughly 200-240, it is while Lamb, Beef and Chicken sizzle beneath a tremendous copper hood that guests are treated to delicacies such as Cheese, Tzatziki or spicy Aubergine alongside housemade Bazlama Bread. Taking no shortcuts, even paper-thin Yufka made on-site, Meats arrive still piping hot alongside long Peppers, roasted Tomatoes and Onions perfumed with Za'atar such that Kebap can be eaten alone of the skewer or loaded onto Bread with a choice of Spices or leftover Spreads. read more

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The taste of meat cooked on coal is definitely a plus. We got a couple of kebabs, some special lamb ribs and a yogurt dip that was delicious. We had front row seats and watched the grill master in action. Definitely recommend making reservations if you're coming for dinner. read more

Zübeyir Ocakbaşı - The grill master - Barbeque Near Me - Istanbul, 34

This restaurant is high on my list of "Must Eat" restaurant. So its fitting that it is out first meal as soon as we arrived in Istanbul. Tip: *Make reservations in advance. This place does gets very crowded, very popular with the locals. *We arrived for dinner at around 2100 and we were seated right away. Our server was a wonderful man, very friendly and helpful. He recommend a few items for us to try for appetizers. Let me tell you, the best kebak ever! We ordered the Mix Grill Kebab and the Chicken Wings. Both was perfection, flavorful, moist and juicy. Amazing way to start our trip. So impressed that we went back for two more times before we went back home. Highly recommended and should not be miss. read more

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We had reservations made one year ago to sit in front of the usta. What a phenomenal experience to watch a master at work and to sample each of his specialities. The Merlot was so good with each meat. I know I won't be able to find it at home so I enjoyed it in the moment. read more

The best grilled lamb chops are here! This restaurant was recommended by a local resident and the food is delicious. Plenty of outdoor seating and an indoor area. Fresh bread and quality meats. Just to note, they charge a cover and service charge. read more

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Food was fantastic. We had Adana Kebab, Shish Chicken and Lamb and all were amazing! We also has Taziki which I highly recommend read more

Got a mixed grill platter with lamb shish, lamb chops and Adana kebob. Everything was well prepared , juicy and tasty . Would come back for sure . read more

Zübeyir Ocakbaşı - Mixed grill - Barbeque Near Me - Istanbul, 34

The food was ok. However, the service has lots of room for improvement. For example, the typical tea after the meal is not served and I had to ask for it. I was seated in the corner and there was a bad smell coming out of a small door, even though the restaurant was not really full. read more

Zübeyir Ocakbaşı - Barbeque Near Me - Istanbul, 34

The cuisine was passable. There is, nonetheless, much space for improvement in the service. For instance, I had to ask for tea, which is usually offered after the meal. While I was sitting in the corner, I noticed that a little door was emitting an unpleasant odor, even though the restaurant wasn't particularly busy. https://buyozempiconlinemexico.org/ read more

This is by Far the best kabob in Turkey perhaps even better than Iraq where I thought they had the best kabob. The quality is insane here, with amazing talent in creating this food. First of all lets talk about their mezas. Its simple and classic, tomatos with some kind go herbs and pomegranate meioses but the flavors are elevated here. Moreover, the yogurt with some kind go herbs and olive oil is insanely delicious and not to mention thee smoky eggplant with olive oil ( we ordered three rounds of mezas ) The lamb chops are the best I have ever had in my life although I lived in Iraq for years where they have the best lamb ( as I thought ) Moreover, The spicy kabob which I think is called Adana kebab is an absolute mystery of flavors. those two are not to be missed. read more

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I was looking for a good traditional food in Tuksim square for reasonable price ( not touristic) and found it... great food and their traditional Ayran is a must try. People were nice and welcoming as well. read more

Zübeyir Ocakbaşı - Buryan - Barbeque Near Me - Istanbul, 34

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Best BBQ I've had in the world. Everything was amazing. Had chicken wings, lamb chops, beef and chicken kebab! Loved it! Walked in with no reservation on Saturday night and they went out of their way to accommodate us. Staff was super friendly too. Walked out with a food coma but it was so worth it. Ate way too much so I should probably walk to my hotel tonight. read more

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Pro tip: - Reserve in advance - The best chicken of my life. The beef wasn't great As a true carnivore, I love to eat chicken the most. So I'm not taking this lightly when I say this is probably one of the best chicken dishes I've ever had. It's the combination of super tender, grilled with a little crispy edge and a right balance of flavor with a kick of spice. If you do indeed order the chicken dish, you would get a side of medium spicy green peppers and grilled tomatoes. However, my wife ordered the beef and it was a little dry. So if anything, it's a hit a miss type of place. This place does get busy so highly recommend to make reservations the morning of or show up at an off time. Service wise: they are friendly and cracking light hearted jokes read more

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Great food! Service was great. I'm from New York, first time in Turkey. And I'll come back again!

Good and friendly service. Tasty food, but other places are good too. Servings were small. Sat in table outside on street.

great spot. make a reservation. place was pretty packed on a monday night w locals. lamb is the way to go here. chicken was pretty good but i regret not ordering two types of lamb. mezze very good. good environment and service. read more

I had my first meal in istanbul here. It was so good that I came back at the end of the night to bring food back to the hotel. Excellent way to start my trip. Tried several of the kebabs-- the meat was so flavorful and delicious. read more

The Adana kababs were dry . Was a great restaurant now mediocre . The shish lamb was excellent. The service was also mediocre. Ambiance is also ok but we got a window seat so that was nice . read more

Good: quality, taste, deliciousness, neat atmospheres with open grill Bad: overpriced (for what they charge you can get at least double elsewhere). Cold shoulder service especially if you are not a big spender. And they charge MANDATORY 10% TIP regardless of party size. And FYI for you adventurous types who think you want to try the local alcoholic drink Raki (aka lions milk), I hope you have a liking for licorice. read more

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Excellent excellent excellent food Service was excellent Lamb chop out of this world Loved it Highly recommended read more

The food here was pretty good. We got the lamb chops and Ali Nazek. The lamb chops were a bit too lamby in flavor but cooked well. Ali Nazek was delicious and meat was marinated very nicely. We also got an appetizer. read more

Zübeyir Ocakbaşı - Barbeque Near Me - Istanbul, 34

Typical Turkish kebap house. No fish dishes involved at this location. All kinds of Shish kebap and other meat varieties can be tasted here. Reservation is necessary. read more

I love my Turkish BBQ, the Turks know how to do it right! After landing in Istanbul, our first stop was Zübeyir Ocakbaşı for dinner. Arrived at 7:30 pm with no reservations. The hostess was able to accommodate our party of 3 and sat us upstairs. From the get-go I noticed that heavenly aroma of grilled meats in the air. Both the top and bottom floor will have a grill right smack in the center for patrons see witness that pornography of charred meat and juices dripping and flaming the hot coals. Oh wow. Our waiter was very pleasant. We are a bunch of Turkish food newbs who knew nothing about what we were ordering. He was able to provide recommendations on drinks, kebaps and dessert. We ended up ordering an ensemble of meats and wash everything down with lots of Raki. Our walk back to the hotel was interesting for sure. read more

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The food and service were great. Everything came out hot and fresh. The flavors were so intense and perfectly balanced.

We had a great dinner here and although we didn't have a reservation on a busy Thursday night, they managed to squeeze us in. We had front row seats around the grill pit. The only draw back is if you are sitting in the center, versus the ends, it does get quite warm! The food was delicious, we had the meatballs and the lamb, along with tsaziki and grilled vegetables. We didn't find it that overpriced as other reviewers were saying. We paid 160tl for 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, and 2 glasses of wine. read more

Zübeyir Ocakbaşı - Barbeque Near Me - Istanbul, 34

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I had a pretty bad experience here. I was so looking forward to dinner and while the food was good, it's very overpriced for Istanbul prices because they know they're famous so they'll double your price. Then I got treated so coldly as a single diner. Looking at the other diner's warm reception compared to mine was startling! My credit card didn't work because they were having problems with their machines and they took out their exasperation on me. If that wasn't enough, they also tack on a 4 Lira fee for water (which costs like 1 lira outside ...) and for bread service. Excuse me, but you didn't even serve me bread since the service was so awful. I'm disappointed I wasted one of my meals here. Was the food good? Yes. Was the experience awful? Definitely. read more

We had dinner here on our last night in Istanbul and came across it while walking. The service staff and atmosphere were amazing and helpful. There were a lot of locals in there which is always a good sign that the place is good. Now the food - this is a meat lovers dream menu. A lot of lamb, chicken and beef. We took the mixed kebab and lots of little sides. Note that they do not serve rice or chips. But the bread is all you need fresh and cooked in front of you. Our experience was perfect and definitely worth another visit. read more

Zübeyir Ocakbaşı - Chef in action. - Barbeque Near Me - Istanbul, 34

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I came here on my second night in Istanbul by the recommendation of Lonely Planet. It was the third restaurant on Lonely Planet's "best restaurant list," but I might have to write to the Lonely Planet authors and tell her to move this to #1! Definitely make a reservation, even if you're eating solo. This place is packed every night, even on the week nights -- I know: I ate there for three nights in a row. By the recommendation of the waiter, I had the lamb sis & shepherd's salad (30TL and 10TL respectively = $14.68). The lamb sis...was probably the best tasting meat I have ever had in my young adult life. It's marinaded deliciously, incredibly succulent, and grilled to perfection (juicy and pink on the inside). I rolled my eyes back with every bite I took. It was probably one of the best dinners I've ever had in my life. I highly highly highly recommend eating at this particular restaurant. The second night I ate here, I had the chicken sis. Still delicious, but not as amazing as the lamb sis. The third night I came here, I had the lamb sis again! Also, the check already comes with the gratuity included in your bill. If you're trying to find this place, here are the directions. Walk down Istiklal Cadessi from Taksim Square. Once you see the Adidas store on your left, make a right turn. (If you pass the McDonalds on your left, you've gone too far). Walk down the street and pass the first intersection. Zübeyir Ocakbasi is on your right. read more

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We were in Taksim looking for a restaurant. This had good reviews so we tried it. I was in the mood for some meats! I believe the restaurant is 3-4 levels? Tables are really close to each other. It was super busy but after 5 minutes we got seated. At first I was not too happy because we were sat next to the grill. Which is really hot. And there were runaway fire flickers LOL. But after a while we really enjoyed ourselves. It could have been the raki! I thought the whole experience was just so cool. Watching the master griller right in front of us. The atmosphere of the place was just like being in a faraway land. It felt so much like a vacation (but it was mostly locals there). I loved it! Oh and the food! We ordered combination grilled meats- beef, chicken, lamb. Then some veggie sides. So so good. Very flavorful, fresh, delicious. I very much highly recommend this place! Go and enjoy the experience. read more

Zübeyir Ocakbaşı - Turkish bbq #foodporn - Barbeque Near Me - Istanbul, 34

The best kebab place for sure! The way they treat lamb is just unbelievable. Must try kidneys and liver!!! And this desert Semolina is just piece of heaven! Service is descent, great atmosphere with open grill in the middle of the eating room. read more

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Lamb steak was tasty . I'd say there were several pieces of lamb. Salad was served as garnish.( pinion, some herbs). The price was 200 TL ( it's ok) . It's better to seat outside as it is a bit noisy inside . read more

This place was amazing. The only restaurant we went to a second time while we were visiting Istanbul. Chicken shish was the favorite, but the lamb was recommended and also very good. We liked the chicken shish with a side of the van tzatziki (has olive oil on top). Highly recommend if you are staying in or visiting the Taksim area read more

While my husband and I were in Istanbul, we met up with my good friend from New York's brother and his wife. They told us they had the perfect place to take us-- one of their favorites-- Zubeyir Ocakbasi! They did the ordering-- first a big place of assorted cuts of meat, all perfectly cooked. (They have an exposed grill where you can watch the cook in action). They insisted we try the lamb liver, to which C and I chuckled because we'd had lamb liver overload the night before. But they insisted this is the BEST in town-- and it really was even better than what we'd had the night before at Asmali Cavit. A must try for sure! The spicy eggplant dip was the perfect accompaniment to the very thin flatbead they serve, and they also ordered what might've been the best grilled onions I've ever had. (I know, right?? How on earth could simple grilled onions be so delicious?? I still wonder!) We also got a seemingly simple salad with tomato, and onion tossed in pomegranate molasses and topped with tons of shredded parsley. UNBELIEVABLE. I immediately got some pomegranate molasses when I returned to the States. A few glasses of raki later, we emerged onto the street and I understood why they call the stuff lion's milk... I'd say this is one of my top recommendations from our time in Istanbul!! read more

The absolutely best lamb chops I've ever had. The staff was great and the prices were perfect (cheap US dollars). I highly suggest this place. read more