FLEKK — Restaurant in Beyoğlu

Over the years, I have distilled what things make me feel comfortable in a bar : low amber light from multiple sources, natural walls, mismatched furniture and art, seamless access to tables outside, a quirky drinks list with good explanations of the flavor profiles and some free food to nosh while you get sloshed.

Flekk offers all these things tucked away on a picturesque windy cobblestone street clinging to the side of a steep hill in Beyoglu. It's a wonderful place for a nightcap after visiting the dance clubs just around the corner.

They are a bit heavy on the weird mustaches and elderflower syrup for my taste, but that is forgivable given how great their other attributes are.

The drink list is indeed quirky, with a lot of Nordic influences. The menu has good guidelines, though when they say "sweet," they really mean it (like most non-American cocktail scenes, Istanbul is still waking up to the joys of a properly balanced cocktail).

The Vik is a real standout. The smoke of the Mezcal sets off the wonderful tomato tincture and the aromatics compliment them well. I would order it again.

Areas for improvement : (1) I know it is difficult to get proper Chartreuse these days, but if you are going to put Chartreuse cocktails on the menu, you need to have it (or make them a special that you can add/remove from the whiteboard) or if not sub, something else (50/50 mix of Bordiga Centum Herbis and Brucato Amaro Chaparral is my favorite). (2) The service was a bit odd - the tall guy who spoke English best didn't know the drinks and the guy who knew the drinks couldn't speak English. We muddled through in a mix of the languages our group spoke. Of course English proficiency isn't a requirement in Turkey, but it's frustrating to have staff that DO speak English but don't know the...

Just don't go there. The waiters are obnoxious and take the piss out of customers. My friend and I came for a drink in a very good mood, having learned a word of Turkish during our stay in Istanbul, so we thanked them kindly in their language. The waiter didn't hesitate to make fun of us openly behind the bar with his colleague, even imitating us, thinking we wouldn't understand. Just unprofessional and disrespectful. In terms of atmosphere, it's a no-go. Edit: listen, I never put reviews, even less bad ones. If I had a shadow of a doubt, I would never have posted this comment that you continue to delete (3 times). We came exactly because of the good reviews you had but it seems like you just report the bad ones. The strict minimum would be to apologize and acknowledge your mistake, first at the bar when I actually asked you politely why you had imitated me and secondly when I posted my review. the fact that you continue to delete proves your embarrassment and guilt. Please, stop...

Without a doubt the best cocktail bar in Istanbul. Very special atmosphere with cozy lighting, art, and all liqueur on display at the bar. The cocktail menu mostly consists of unique and artistic creations of high-quality alcohol and homemade liqueurs, while all drinks are served with a subtle yet eye-catching topping. There are more well-known drinks available as well thouguh, such as the Negroni I had. We also had some special requirements that were all happily met by the friendly staff. They interacted with each of us individually, giving personalized recommendations on cocktail choices and therefore made it a great experience for all of us! Thank you so much for that!

Regarding food options, we went with Truffle Fries and some appetizers that were delicious and freshly made. They serve a bowl of mixed nuts with their drinks as well, and since we finished that pretty quickly we got a refill immediately - so nice! Look forward to coming back many more times in the future - best...