Balkan Lokantası Taksim — Restaurant in Beyoğlu

This restaurant has been my favourite since 2013, but after what happened today I will never set my foot here again. The price they displayed outside is definitely not the one that they are charging. Pilav (rice) price that's on display is 9TL and they charged us 14TL, meatball displayed price is 22TL but they charged us 25TL and bread displayed price is 2TL, they put 3TL on the tab instead. It's enough that they are not being honest with their price, but when my friend confronted them with the bills which definitely are being padded up, instead of giving explanation they told my friend to shut up since a woman is paying for him. Even if I paid for my friend that's definitely none of their business and the way they said it indirectly means that since I'm a lady they can cheat me and other people shouldn't feel sorry for me. For all foreign travelers please be careful if you are going to eat in this place, ask them for breakdown and make sure the price is the same as the one being displayed. Never accept if they are charging you more than what is being displayed, there are tons of other restaurant you can eat at in Taksim that's more honest than...

In the midst of all the heavy touristic priced food there’s this little gem. A non fancy dinner tray self service type of restaurant which sells simple balkan comfort food. If you find yourself in a hurry to explore or feeling for a quick sit down, eat and go, this place is perfect. For those sourcing a cheaper budget on food, the prices are extremely reasonable compared to everything else around İstiklal street. We had lentil soup, an assortment of chicken potato with rice, tomato aubergine and pickles. The food was tasty and wholesome, especially the homemade pickles. Also, I really enjoyed the unique taste of the Beyoğlu bottled soft drink, a must try! Located just opposite the Premist Hotels Taksim.

A year on, back to Istanbul. We came back to this delightful place. They did a slight uplift to the decor and still sell amazing delicious comfort food at such great affordable prices. Hygiene is very good and staff and chefs are very still polite. The aubergine tomato side dish was yum! Definitely a must try again and again. You won’t be...

*Response to owner: Don′t lie. We paid our ridiculius bills. And ah, don′t worry, the bread went to a homeless person and to our friends - far more generosity than you have ever shown.

Furthermore, the bread was 10 Liras? Tiny amounts compared to what you would have stolen from my friend if he didn′t speak up through your bad attitude, and far less than what you stole from me with this 400 Lira lunch. Get bent.

Review:

Food was nothing special, it did the job. However, we were verifiably ripped off. And I′m almost certain they did the same to me (we′re dumb tourists)

Tried overcharging my friend 70 lira, and when he questioned it, the gentleman gestured to him ′Oh, I thought you were paying for the next guy′, pointing to a totally random person.

I was charged 400 for 4 dishes, two of which were rice and "tatziki".

150 for a small plate of eggplant with minute amounts of minced meat, and 150 for 5-6 average kofta with dry french fries. The guy told my friend to get out of his face when he was rightfully questioning the price...