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.

Mega hyped because of the Anthony Bourdain connection. I've been in Istanbul for over a month, and…read moreevery time I have visited the place has been completely packed with tourists. Many of the reviews mention the good service, but my experience has been a little different. The main guy who greets and helps everyone when they arrive seems completely over the whole thing. I can understand why, though. They still have an enormous amount of tourist business because of the Bourdain connection, and people seem to come here almost as a pilgrimage. I'm staying nearby and have visited several times because of all the hype, and the experience has been pretty much the same every time. The person in charge does not seem particularly concerned about whether you wait to order or not. If it is the afternoon, he will sometimes toss you a menu, walk away, and mumble something about waiting for a table. One time, I arrived about 15 minutes before closing and noticed that there was a table available. I was told they were closing soon and that the last orders, with about 10 kebabs already cooking on the grill, were for someone else. That was basically it. No option was offered to take anything to go either. There is certainly nothing wrong with closing when you are ready to close, but after becoming accustomed to the incredibly friendly and welcoming service at so many local kebab restaurants in Istanbul, the lack of enthusiasm here was surprising. In a strange way, it is almost refreshing. They seem to have so much business that they really could not care less whether you eat there or not. The food itself is very good, but honestly, it isn't significantly better than some of the other places nearby. There are several restaurants in the area serving fantastic Adana kebab, with more seating and much warmer service. Overall, glad I tried it because of the Bourdain connection, but for me, the hype is much bigger than the experience.

When you're walking around the water in Istanbul, you will be inundated with fish sandwich stalls…read more But which one to go to? It can seem so difficult to choose. Our suggestion? Navigate over the bridge (past the fish stands on the boats), past the fish market where the path then begins to lead to a series of restaurants and small stands, the latter of which were all selling what appeared to be identical fish sandwiches. We walked the entire length, carefully scrutinising each vendor before recognizing the correct stand. While every fish sandwich purveyor may seem to be serving what looks like identical products, Emin Usta's stand was the only one with a line. Along with this line comes Emin, a hulking beast of a man whose singular mission in life appears to be making the most amazing fish sandwich in all of Istanbul. Whereas we observed other vendors haphazardly throwing together a sandwich in under 15 seconds, Emin's attention to detail and pursuit of perfection carries his sandwich to heights others can only hope to attain. In his massive palms a pair of ordinary kitchen tongs transforms into culinary tweezers, which he wields with the precision of a surgeon, ever so delicately plucking each and every minute bone from the thin fillets. This attention to detail is the foundation upon which a remarkable sandwich is built. However, as you might expect, perfection like this comes at a price: if you are in a hurry, this is not the fish sandwich for you. Whether there are 3 or 30 people in his line, Emin remains at an even keel, completely unswayed as he churns out a sandwich or two every 5 minutes. He may also stop for a cigarette in between. While we were patiently waiting our turn to place our order, the gentleman in front noticed us as tourists and explained that he works nearby and that Emin Usta's fish sandwiches are legendary, as they are well-known to be the best among a sea of imitators. He did also give us a one recommendation for ordering: go with a wrap instead of on a roll, which we readily obliged. The end result? This was an incredibly delicious wrap. The fillet of fish was fresh and perfectly grilled, still flaky and moist without the slightest hint of being overcooked. The veggies added crunch and texture while the quick squeeze of lemon brightened everything up. Then, a drizzle of pomegranate syrup, secret sauce and a sprinkle from an unlabeled jar of Turkish spices brought all the flavors together - salty, spicy, sour and sweet. Plus, a bit of time on the grill after everything was put together meant the wrap had a bit of crispiness as well as a bit of smokiness. (TRY 9 = $3.50) When we had been on the other side of Galata Bridge, there were a couple of floating boats churning out fish sandwiches that were incredibly full of tourists (and maybe locals). After having Emin Usta's fish sandwich, we both agreed there was no way they would have been as good. He doesn't work the grill all the time (he has an assistant that works sometimes), so just look for the wet wipes with his face at the stand! If we lived in Istanbul, we would definitely come here regularly.

The Wrap has been a staple for me for years. Maybe because they literally have not changed their…read moremenu since 2006, and guess what, I am OK with that! Their wraps are large (not cheap) but definetly filling! "They have a few veggie wraps for our dear vegheads and a whole wheat tortilla option as well. Their smoothies are OK, but if you are ordering out, they don't travel very well. Don't bother not asking for the free mashed potatoes becuase they send it no matter what. Again, this is a great sunday ordering place if you are to lazy to cook and bored of the standard Turkish kebab. Try to the basil wrap bone, the moe and tom wrap and of course the Philly Cheese steak!

Ok first off this place is pretty amazing! The wraps, onion rings, smoothies, and carrot cake are…read moreall pretty darn good! This place might have found its way into my regular rotation. The place is nice and warm to relax with a small group of friends. The sitting seats with comfy and there is a place outside to eat also if you want fresh air. The employees were nice but hardly spoke or understood any English, so basically Google Translate will be your best friend. Also I recommend the Chicken Caesar salad which was pretty taste. The wraps can be pretty filling, so I would say get a small one if your not to hungry.

You go down a little Alloway off of the main street of Taxi and you will find this spot. You will…read moresee the raw kebab skewers in the window and don't let it scare you away, go inside and get yourself a nice combo plate and enjoy the freshly cooked and generous amounts of meat And you will not be disappointed. Also, the chicken wings up the spot are to die for.

Open super late, this little gem was such a nice discovery!!…read more We checked into the W around 2am and we're starving for some street food to start our Turkish food journey. We wanted something nearby so our concierge guided us into the back neighborhood full of bars and good eats. Fridays night and full of young hipsters, this place was quite full so we sat down and ordered , pointing to a picture that looked like some sort of wrap. We sat outside and the waiter finally brought it out on a plate. It was a very thin long wrap with some pickled peppers and some lemon to squeeze before every bite. Let me tell u, it was delicious. The meat was fragrant and had some kick, and it also had some tomatoes, onions, and lots of fresh parsley. The flat bread was thin, chewy,... Just simply perfect!!! Needless to say we ordered 4 between the 2 of us. Best part is the price- 7 liras each so only about $14 total. What a steal!! So Ayla gave us quite a nice introduction to Istanbul eats. Can't wait to try other places, but I know we definitely will be back in the next couple days! day 2: midnight update. couldn't help myself. so friggin good. i just ate 3 of these. delicious!

I can't express enough how happy we're to have this meal for our last night in Istanbul. It was…read morerecommended by one of the locals. The place was small yet very charming. They have a lower area and alfresco seating. We had their Antakya Kebap Dürüm, Beğendili Bonfile Şiş Dürüm, and 4 kinds of appetizers. We savor every bite and it was really good. Note this place could have a wait time, if you have a big group I recommend try to reserve.

I happen to stumble upon this restaurant while visiting turkey. It's located in a basement so just…read morebe on the lookout because you can miss it. However, the food was so fresh and fulfilling. I enjoyed every moment of it and if I'm ever back in turkey, I will go back. My only downside was the fact that the restaurant allowed stray cats to come inside and the cats will try to steal your food or either jump on the seat to sit next to you if you're not a cat person just keep your head on a swivel. Try everything on the menu you won't regret it.

The restaurant did not high pressure us as we were walking by unlike so many restaurants. The staff…read morewas very professional and the food was superb.

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!

Food is crazy good , one of the best meals I've ever had. This is my second trip to Turkey , this…read moreplace was recommended to me by a friend. İ had the beef shish kabob, it comes with a bunch of veggie plates that you can assemble into a tortilla like thing. Thinking about it, i wish k were there eating it right now ....

Great and fun place to have local food on the street (there's indoor too)…read moreReally like the experience. The only thing is their skewers seem pre-made.... it was lukewarm when served, kinda a let down. I mean still worth a try.