Hemdem Steak House — Restaurant in Şişli

Well, I was looking forward to a relaxing Sunday, but this restaurant really put a damper on things. I had my heart set on a steak lunch before leaving Istanbul, swayed by all the glowing reviews. But let me tell you, it was a total letdown.

I walked in, grabbed a menu myself since no one bothered to greet me, and finally got seated. After waiting around 15 minutes, I ordered a sausage egg, steak, and a beer. Another 10 minutes passed, only to be told they couldn't serve steak because the grill chef wasn't in yet. So, I settled for their breakfast menu, thinking it looked promising in the pictures.

But what arrived was underwhelming—some bread, some cheese, sauces, and just one omelet. And the meat? Nowhere to be found. After waiting another 20 minutes, I asked about it, only to be told it was only served for 2 people or more. Seriously?

To top it off, when I asked for the menu again, this time in English, suddenly the price jumped to 500 lira per person (400 in Turkish menu) Talk about unfair treatment of foreigners! I ended up shelling out 759 lira for what they called a "simplified" breakfast, plus a beer and service charge. It was a total joke.

I doubt the owner will see this, but take my advice: think twice before giving this...

We came here specifically for the kebab, which wasn’t available — disappointing, but we stayed and ordered steaks instead. Unfortunately, that turned out to be a major letdown.

My steak was clearly not fresh, almost impossible to chew, and dripping with grease. It honestly felt like a low-quality cut that had been sitting too long. My wife’s steak was slightly better, but still bland and forgettable. For a restaurant that charges over 5,000 TL (about $130) for a meal for two, this was shockingly poor.

The only decent part of the meal was the salad. Everything else felt like a mismatch between price and quality. When I asked for sauces, we were given cheap, fast-food-style ketchup and mustard — completely out of place at this price point. No alcohol-free beer available, and I had to ask twice for basic bread.

This kind of bill might be normal in a high-end steakhouse in the U.S., but in Turkey, for this level of food? It felt like a bad joke. We expected a premium dining experience — we got below-average food at a luxury price.

Unfortunately, I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone looking for good steaks, value for money, or even basic consistency. We left feeling disappointed, overcharged, and honestly...

Tourists, be careful — this place seems to use two different menus.

After my visit, I checked photos and reviews on Google Maps and noticed something concerning: there appear to be two versions of the menu — one for locals with visibly lower prices, and another for tourists with inflated ones. This kind of practice is not only unethical — it’s also illegal.

We were charged 5,100 TL for a very average meal for two (2 steaks + salad + small beer + lemonade), which felt completely out of proportion for the quality of food and service we received. Seeing lower prices listed in other guests’ photos for the same items left a bad taste, even more than the food itself.

I strongly advise checking the menu carefully before ordering. If you feel something is off, don’t hesitate to ask questions or walk away. No one wants to leave a restaurant feeling overcharged and taken...