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Karaköy Lokantası

Turkish Restaurant and Meyhane₺₺₺₺

Beyoğlu

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Karaköy Lokantası

8.6^/10

3,517

ratings

Ranked #6 for hummus in Istanbul
"Great daily lunch food and also perfect for a raki and meze dinner."(24 Tips)
"Fried zucchini is one of the best"(10 Tips)
"Best hünkar beğendi in town."(5 Tips)
"... hummus with pastrami, grilled octopus, and artichoke heart."(9 Tips)

173 Tips and reviews

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Esra Erden OzkanOctober 7, 2015
One of the best restaurant in Istanbul. Must go and taste all delicious food. Atmosphere is very cool. Blue is mixed with tradition. Octopus , kofte and fish are the best foods to try out.
Upvoted Feb 25
Sinan YıldırımMay 2, 2017
Very good for lunches and dinners for people wishing to taste real local cuisine. You can also find alcoholic beverages on the menu.
Juan LlanezaApril 22, 2012
Wonderful turkish tapas! This restaurant is a must in Istanbul. Book in advance, it is usually very busy
Talal AOctober 4, 2015
Probably my favorite meal of my Istanbul trip; simple, flavorful good & excellent, friendly service. The grilled octopus is succulent and the fried zucchini is 👌. They're cat-friendly, too.
Aylin AlpustunJuly 5, 2019
Been here 5+ times
It is one of my favourite restaurants in Istanbul - very affordable, cosy, very local, delicious Turkish cuisine. I especially like the distinct blue tiled interior. Reservation is a must
MerfeJanuary 15, 2015
Been here 5+ times
Topik is very tasty and my all time favourite. All mezzes are tasty. Owners are a little spoiled because of high demand but the taste worths it! Need to book days ahead!
MariaDecember 27, 2018
One of Istanbul's iconic restaurants&a popular lunch spot, Karaköy Lokantası is perhaps best known for its heavenly hünkar beğendi, an Ottoman dish made with beef on a creamy bed of mashed eggplant!
Steph CannoneMay 22, 2019
Best place to have turkish food (specially mezzes) in Istanbul. Everything was extremely delicious; hummus with pastrami was otherworldly tasty.
BaharJuly 19, 2018
Great staff were welcoming and there was one who could speak very good English, the fish was very fresh and tasty, i totally recommend it.
Rylan HoleyOctober 25, 2016
One of the best restaurants in Istanbul - and maybe the best Turkish restaurants in the world? Lovely food that's super fresh and in a wonderful building. Get the hummus with pastrami and the octopus.
Akin Y.October 6, 2017
A nicely decorated restaurant with a truly great selection of local dishes and spirits. I didn’t like their attitude though, but this is related to the current political/social circumstances in TR.
Jens GovaertMay 11, 2018
By far the best restaurant I've ever visited in Turkey. The ambience, the interior of the lokanta and the food was just divine. Everything was just sublime!
MariaJanuary 2, 2019
Lunch is served 1-4pm & dinner 6-1am.They are closed 4-6pm.You need a reservation for dinner(gets very crowded)they do not reserve tables for lunch time.Clean,very tasty food,definitely visit it! 9/10
Paul SanwaldMay 17, 2015
Our favorite meal in Istanbul. Just had meze and starters and it was more than enough for two, and everything was fantastic. Fried zucchini was a standout
Burcu YatmazogluAugust 4, 2018
My happy place in Istanbul! Funky design and delicious food. They have different menus for lunch and dinner. Taste "Hunkarbegendi" for lunch and enjoy the "meze selection flow" for dinner.
Nikos BFebruary 27, 2019
Make sure you try fried zucchini, burek, etc appetizers but also leave space for your main dish!! Reminds me of Thessaloniki/Selanik tavernas
Fulya OnalFebruary 10, 2015
You must order almost every meze on the menu, they are just great. Very busy though, hard to find a table but staff is very kind and they help you if they can. Try, you will like it.
Mehmet CicekdagNovember 5, 2022
We had a great dinner. Everything was tasty. Yet, there was no tea. Tea is the most consumed beverage in Turkey. You get all the tea loving tourists from the Middle and Far East as well.
Danil ShtangeevApril 3, 2017
Homelike atmosphere, friendly service and delicious food. Here not many tourists and different menu at day and evening time. Come here ten minutes before opens or book the table.
Maria VoulJuly 28, 2017
The food is exceptional, and the semolina cake takes you straight to heaven. Due to high demand, not everything in the menu might be present, but whatever they do have — you need to try.
Sidar ErgenJune 25, 2015
Great atmosphere but everyone is a little bit snob. Grilled sardine and hunkarbegendi was ok but nothing special. Salads are always fresh. Tea is always tasty and you don't pay for water.
The Taste SheriffMarch 13, 2017
Great local eatery with excellent mezes. Try the fried zucchini, the liver, and the fried little fish.
JoubranSeptember 23, 2017
There isn't one thing in this place that I'm slightly unsatisfied with. Prices are dirt cheap compared to the heavenly taste that you will experience.
latina grozevaMay 30, 2015
Nice interior, friendly service and really delicious food. Homemade pasta with yogurt and marinated fish in mustard are amazing.
Stacy Bo BacyAugust 10, 2019
Loved all the side dishes. I enjoyed the hummus with pastrami, grilled octopus, and artichoke heart.
Kevork KazanjianAugust 25, 2015
The kofte was my favorite, followed by the lamb chops and the salad and then the perzola. Def worth a visit.
Ebru SonmezJanuary 4, 2019
always great atmosphere, delicious Turkish food, authentic decoration.
Mahsa AMay 3, 2018
I and my husband really like this restaurant. all the foods are delicious and high quality in busy district of karaköy👌🏽
OzgunMarch 14, 2015
Been here 5+ times
I always enjoy eating here, very clean, very friendly service, aegean style cooking, always with fresh and organic ingredients. Feels like at home.
Syed ShahJuly 14, 2018
The food is good here but for a good restaurant like this surely they can have more options on the menu for their mains....
DxbMJuly 11, 2016
Great service..loved the appetizers - Rokka salad and humus pastrami and fried calamari .. And the meatballs from the mains.
Bruno BorelaMay 26, 2019
Turkish food is amazing, and this was the best restaurant I've been to in Istanbul. The hummus is too good to be true.
Figen AyanMarch 1, 2016
My second kitchen for lunch since 2006... The food quality is great and has not changed a bit for years.... Nice atmosphere but can be noisy for a calm business lunch
Mehdi JahaniApril 8, 2016
Popular and best in the area, fresh foods , different menu for lunch and dinner, crowded,
🍀 Marianne 🍀September 12, 2014
Very good service, good value for money. Fresh food, very tasty. They have a large choice of Raki. Try the fried zucchini with yogurt.
Abdulla SaeedMarch 4
I loved eating at Karaköy Lokantası in Istanbul. The food was great and they had so many choices. Everything tasted amazing.
Berk MesekiranSeptember 19, 2017
Service was very friendly in general. Atmosphere is great. Grilled octopus, beans with cinnamon and hummus was the highlights for me.
RMarch 8, 2017
My favorite place for raki and meze . After first drink get a cigarette at balcony and feel the historical environment.
johnlemonApril 4, 2018
Great mezzes. Come early for dinner though, some dishes are not available later.
ArnoldNovember 29, 2015
We got this restaurant from a friend of us who is living in Istanbul. It's a great restaurant, good service and good food!
Nash AlsJune 29, 2016
Not very trendy among tourists but very creative traditional dishes .. Each dish is unique in it taste try the grilled octopus, fried zucchini and mezza mixed platters
Aya AtamedovaOctober 9, 2021
Ten years in raw and still the best meze for me place
Rowan WernhamDecember 8, 2014
We had a delicious meal here, but something about the fried octopus seemed fishy, and sadly that was the last dish we ate.
Irem YorukDecember 9, 2013
A great place for traditional Turkish food. Meats are amazing. We also tried the eggplant salad and fried zuccini. Both recommended.
Melis BaşaranerApril 23, 2015
Best restaurant in İstanbul, even for dinner or lunch.. What ever you choose from the menu, never disappoints you
Bardia NavvabianJuly 25, 2017
Food is awesome! Have tried Izgara Kofte & Tas Kebab! So delicious. Helpful staff but not so friendly.
Shannon LowMay 31, 2014
Excellent calamari. Hunkar begendi only at lunch. For dinner, you'll need a reservation or come by after 930pm.
Alexander LobovApril 19, 2015
A good reminder that Turkish food isn't just about kebab. Great simple food, fresh ingredients and well prepared.
Sarp ErkayaSeptember 27, 2014
Always popular, great meze and turkish food. Very spicy meatballs. Go heavy with mezes and finish with fish
Dani RangelovMay 25, 2018
To me this is a typical Turkish food, it tastes great, prices are relatively low and the staff is smiley and hostile

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