Eleos Restauran — Restaurant in Beyoğlu

If only I could give it zero stars. This establishment no longer deserves a spot on the Michelin guide, as it now reflects poorly on it. We visited in 2023 and had a pleasant experience, but when we returned yesterday, it was an entirely different story—utterly disappointing. One of my friends was even food poisoned by the seabass and is still recovering.

The presentation of the dishes was appalling—so much so that I didn’t even want to take photos (which I now regret, as they would have shown how bad it was). The starters were inedible, especially the artichoke and eggplant, though the stuffed pepper was passable. The octopus was the biggest disappointment—it was burnt and overcooked in what seemed like reused oil. The calamari were tough, greasy, and flavorless. The only acceptable dishes were the Greek Salad (which was really just a mix of tomatoes and cucumbers) and the desserts.

The main courses were poorly presented and garnished. Both the seabass and mullets came with a handful of wilted leaves and a chunk of bland onion—definitely not what you'd expect from a Michelin-recommended restaurant.

To top it off, the service was terrible. One waiter brought us the wrong dish and visibly rolled his eyes when we pointed it out. Another attempted to clear our plates while we were still eating, and then declined to take them away.

It seems something has changed at this place, and not for the better. Not only did it ruin our evening, but it also impacted our entire weekend trip. We left hungry and frustrated, and the waiters still expected a tip for...

This restaurant was a great find! We decided to check out three restaurants nearby to decide which would be the better place to eat with this one being last on our route. We started our search early to ensure we'd get a table at either restaurant sense we didn't have a reservation. This one ended up being the best option right away just due to it's location with a high view of the city and The Bosphorus Strait (just on the 2nd floor) and it's great cool weather atmosphere having open windows that let in fresh air. A table was open before their fully booked reservation rush so they sat us and right away we noticed the good vibes. The staff shirts even read "Good Food Good Mood." Which was no exaggeration as the food was very fresh and delicious 😋 Instead of looking at pictures of food (a ploy most commonly used by lousy restaurants) they brought out the actual food for us to look at and pick! Everything we chose was incredibly tasty. After our meal we were given deserts to try on the house so we ordered a Turkish Coffee and a wine. And we immediately loved that we stayed because the desserts were unique and delicious. The sweet cornmeal with ice-cream in the middle was soooo good it took me back to my childhood of eating sweet cornmeal with milk (if you haven't tried this you don't know what you're missing). I added the few pictures I took though I wish I had taken more. Especially of the amazing staff with their "Good Food Good Mood" shirts!

Hats off to the chef/s and kitchen crew and restaurant team for their dedication 👏🏽

Teşekkür...

Mediocre fish restaurant

N41°1.766' E28°58.509' Tucked away on the second floor (3F) in the shabby Hidivyal Palas building on Istiklal Caddesi, is this Greek restaurant and Lonely Planet must-visit restaurant in traditional blue and white decor overlooking the Bosphorus, partially blocked by the Russian consulate. The restaurant has tables inside and outside on a terrace. They offer cold and warm starters and fresh fish on the menu.

In August 2021, we had the best table and chose different starters (mezes): sea bass in curry sausage (₺ 28), anchovies (₺ 26), hot hummus (₺ 34) and very spicy hummus (₺ 34). We ordered glasses of white wine of the house, but this wine lacked any meaning. Not recommended. The slices of bread and corn bread were dried out and lacked any flavour. The sea bass (levrek izgara ₺ 285) was grilled and filleted, but still had large bones in it. Although the fish was fresh, it was over-grilled and a bit dried out and sprinkled with too much olive oil, which masked the flavours of the fish. The potato was not remarkable and the vegetables had no dressing. Service was reasonable. We felt a bit rushed and put the brakes on. We did not order dessert, but the waiter places them on the table. They were free.

Two days ago, we visited fish restaurant Balikçi Sabahattin in Cankurtan and had a wonderfull fish diner. To us, Eleos restaurant was clearly below this level. Not...