Agapia is a lovely little retreat on a street that can often feel very hectic. The garden is…read morelovely, very green. Many cats. I ordered a caesar salad with chicken, which the waitress had absolutely no problem modifying for me -- I wanted the crispy (citir) chicken and she was happy to make it happen. My boyfriend enjoyed the Vegas burger, which was actually a slab of tender steak on a bun! Awesome. Honestly I feel like I rarely rate places like this with five stars, but the service here is seriously top notch. I can't believe how attentive they were. Most places of a similar nature in Istanbul are nowhere near as good service-wise. It was a bit pricey, but I think it's worth it for a special occasion. The boy and I were going to the opera, so I couldn't have asked for a better prelude. Thank god they serve alcohol, though, 'cuz nowhere else on that street did! :) PS. I forgot my credit card but the waiter chased us down the street and gave it back! How sweet!

What another great affordable lunch spot here. Kind of a cafeteria vibe, but so many choices. And…read more the people could not be nicer! Tucked sway in one of many walk streets and I picked it because of the line. Can't go wrong if everyone wants to eat the food. Had Turkish meatballs, potatoes and some delicious baked apples for a dessert. All for $2,40!!! If you travel here, you can find so many of these clean and fresh spots!! I love great street food. So good!

Great food, friendly staff. Recommended to us by a local and did not disappoint! Perfect for a…read morequick bite.

It's funny how the opinions vary on this place. Elsewhere on the web you will find people who call…read morethis place a tourist trap. I would bet more than just a Lira that these are the same people that think that everything around Istiklal is just a giant tourist trap anyway. Which is, of course, crap. Anyone who has spent more than just a weekend in this city knows that the whole area is as authentic as it gets when you compare it with other metropolitan cities' downtown areas. This is Istanbul. Not a tourist version. The same is true for Yakup 2. Look at who's going there for dinner. Mostly locals. If my colleagues here in Istanbul want to go out with large groups of friends, family, people from the company - this is where they go. Just last week we went there with no less than 80 people. Was the food good? You bet it was. Tons of mezze, the small plates piling up on the table, accompanied by large bottles of Rakı and water, baskets of bread, and we just gobbled it all away happily. This is the real thing. No, it's not fancy, no it's not some modernized version of Turkish cuisine, it's authentic, yummy, and making you happy. If you still feel like having more food after the mezze, go for the meat, it's the thing to do. If you want fish, go to a fish restaurant. This is Yakup 2, mezze and meat and rakı. Fact is: the authentic stuff isn't fancy, it's good. And so is this restaurant. Don't let tourists tell you this is a tourist trap. These guys sense traps everywhere. Let them walk past this place and have another rakı.

On the first look Yakup 2 doesn´t really look any different or special as the other restaurants,…read morebut if you go up to the backyard terrace and start eating their fish that impression suddenly changes! Good service, very good food, nice and convenient and quiet location near Taksim for real turkish food!

This is pretty well known place around uskudar. I guess 15 minutes with acab fair assumption from…read moreuskudar port. The quality if good is good and service is reasonable. I like Kuru Fasulye what this place is all about. Try to pick a sunny day so no clouds blocking your view. It is very nice.

Best kuru ever however very cheap atmosphere :( but who cares :) if you are looking for a delicious…read moreand traditional turkish food, slow cooked beans and rice pilaf with pickles, you got the right adress.

Good, true Turkish cuisine. Located in the conservative neighborhood so don't expect any drinking…read morewith your meal. Food is served cafeteria style, but they bring the food to your table. I git what amounts to a Turkish burrito. A large braised lamb shank is covered in stewed vegetables and wrapped in a large pita. Divine. There is a special saffron rice that is quite good.