Galata Kebapçısı — Restaurant in Beyoğlu

Visited in July 2025. Turkey 🇹🇷 Istanbul.

In our quest for a satisfying breakfast in Istanbul, we quickly discovered that options beyond eggs are scarce in the early hours. By sheer chance, we stumbled upon Galata Kebabkesi, a spot that, to our relief, offered its full menu from the morning. Nestled on a bustling side street, the restaurant has a modest outdoor seating area with only a handful of tables, where we settled to take in the lively atmosphere.

FOOD:

Galata Kebabkesi boasts a fusion of European and Turkish flavors, promising a diverse dining experience. We opted for anchovies in oil, chicken pasta, and pide with beef, eager to explore the menu. Regrettably, the food left us profoundly disappointed—our plates, a rarity for us, remained half-eaten. The pasta, which we explicitly requested al dente, arrived overcooked, resembling mushy noodles drowned in a bland, mayonnaise-like sauce diluted with water, utterly devoid of salt, spices, or character. The chicken itself raised doubts about its freshness. The pide, a beloved Turkish classic we’d enjoyed elsewhere, was a letdown here; the dough was oddly sweet yet doughy, lacking the signature crisp crust we craved, and the meager beef filling was overwhelmed by the tasteless bread. The anchovies fared slightly better, though an overpowering vinegar tang detracted from their appeal. They were, by far, the least offensive dish. SERVICE:

The service was passable but uninspired, limited to delivering and clearing plates with little engagement. When we voiced our concerns about the food, the staff responded with blank stares, offering no resolution until we spoke with the manager, who, to their credit, removed the pasta from the bill.

VERDICT: I cannot recommend Galata Kebabkesi. The quality of the dishes we sampled was consistently subpar, and while hunger drove us here in the absence of better options, we left just as unsatisfied. For a city brimming with culinary gems, this restaurant falls...

I have eaten 5 Adana Kebaps during my stay and this one was the "most expensive" I have eaten but that doesnt mean it was expensive.

The portions are made for western standards so that I have felt satisfied with my ordering. The food was very delicious and It was the second best which I have eaten on my trip, as I need to consider quality/price in comparison. The portion was also to german standards for that price.

The people there were super friendly, the owner and father if three sons who are working there as well was amazing, same as the waiter and the young chef.

Really appreciated their energy.

Just in the end I was questionning myself the other day in regards to the price :)

I had Adana Kebap for 135tele i guess? And a Knefe Cheese for 115tele? Thats 250tele and an Ayran( dont know the price) and my overall price was 315tele :) I have received two teas from them but I thought both were free of charge. So one Ayran must have been 75tele and that was just suprising and thats it :)

I gave 350tele so 18Euro for a good and tasty plate plus a lovely desert, an ayran and 2x tea - thats fine and in respective to the nice location and amazing staff I am happy and can fully recommend this...

We were with three people and each ordered a dürüm with beef and a soup. As Turkish tourists ourselves, this was honestly just a waste of good ingredients. The meat had no flavor, just overwhelming salt. It was a sloppy mess to eat, clearly thrown together without care.

The lentil soup was okay, but the ezogelin soup was terrible. The table next to us also complained about their soup, and instead of handling the criticism professionally, the chef got defensive and started boasting about his “40 years of experience.” Poor attitude, poor food.

And here comes the tourist trap part: they add a 10% service charge to your bill without telling you properly. It’s vaguely mentioned in tiny letters on the menu — classic tourist scam behavior. We paid 2700 TL for just 3 dürüms and soup. Absolutely daylight robbery.

Avoid this place. Go to Sirkeci instead for proper food, proper hospitality, and fair prices.

I’m sharing this to help others not fall into...