繁花中餐厅Paragon Chinese Restaurant — Restaurant in Bahçelievler

Paragon is a perfect example of why you should never trust online ratings without scrutiny. The fact that this place is nearly five stars is baffling. The food was mediocre at best—nothing remotely special or memorable. I don’t know for certain, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they used red dye on the dishes to give them some artificial color and appeal.

My wife’s noodle dish arrived with only two tiny pieces of chicken and a heap of overly oily noodles. My own meal was disappointing in both portion size and value. When I asked if rice was included, I was informed that I could pay extra for it. This is a practice I expect from overpriced chains, not a supposedly reputable establishment. The portions were small and absurdly overpriced for what they were, especially considering I’ve lived in Turkey for two years, and my wife is Turkish. The prices here are what you’d expect to pay in the U.S. for a much larger meal, not in Turkey.

To make matters worse, they charged sales tax and gratuity separately from the price, which is highly unusual in Turkey where sales tax is included in the total. This felt like an intentional attempt to confuse and nickel-and-dime customers.

Lastly, the service was practically non-existent. Not once did the staff engage with us in a meaningful way. Paragon, in my opinion, is a complete rip-off, and it’s clear to me that the owners are more interested in making a quick profit than in offering any real value....

I highly recommend this treasure restaurant! ! I recently came here with my friends to check in. We ordered three signature dishes: crayfish, steamed egg with lotus shrimp, and grilled squid. Each one was amazingly delicious! The crayfish was handled super cleanly, with a bright shell, firm and elastic meat, and the secret sauce was spicy and addictive. I couldn't stop eating the shrimp; the steamed egg with lotus shrimp was a must-try. The egg was as delicate and tender as a cloud, and the shrimp was fresh and chewy. The melt-in-the-mouth taste and fresh fragrance bloomed on the tip of the tongue; the grilled squid was cooked to the right temperature, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a rich sauce, and the aroma of cumin and chili blended perfectly, making it more fragrant the more you chew. From the taste to the portion, the dishes are full of sincerity, the waiter's attitude is also super warm and thoughtful, and the dining experience is excellent! It has been included in my unlimited repurchase list, and I will bring more...

Not worth the Uber ride. We were required to make a reservation for an empty restaurant—definitely a red flag we should have taken more seriously. The menu didn’t even pop up online, but we wanted to try something different for the area. Bad decision.

Portion sizes were extremely small. I ordered the duck, and it was mostly bone—I’ve never had duck with so many bones before. On top of that, the meal was ridiculously overpriced, and additional fees were tacked on with no explanation.

We were literally the only people in the restaurant, yet the service and food were still disappointing. It honestly feels like this place should have been shut down a long time ago because it’s clear no one cares. Won't...