Le Cuistot Bistro by Chef Carlos — Restaurant in Beyoğlu

I'm from Hong Kong, and my wife and I were struggling to decide where to have dinner on a rainy day when we discovered this restaurant. We were both very satisfied and highly recommend it.

Firstly, regarding the exterior and atmosphere: the restaurant's exterior has a relaxed and casual feel. However, the interior decoration and atmosphere are quite different from the outside; it's an upscale restaurant. The decor is very stylish, making it perfect for celebrating with a partner, or even for taking photos for Instagram.

In terms of food, we ordered onion soup (TL340) and tomato soup (TL340). For appetizers, we had baked snails (TL650) and spinach with scallops (TL850). The main course was a lamb shank (TL1650). You can refer to the attached receipt.

The quality of the food is proportional to the price, and the lamb shank was even a bit of a surprise. The red wine sauce was perfectly seasoned, and the lamb shank meat was very tender. The only criticism is that the soup was a bit strong in flavor. It was just right for me, but a bit salty for my wife. Both appetizers were perfect.

For drinks, we ordered two glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon (TL600), one glass of Chardonnay (TL300), and two cocktails: a "salty dog" (TL580) and a "canchanchara" (TL650). The red and white wines were normal in taste. On the other hand, the cocktails were priced close to Hong Kong prices, so my expectations were relatively higher. The "salty dog" had a very refreshing taste, but the criticism is that too much salt was put on the rim of the glass, and it was coarse salt, making it a bit too salty. As for the "canchanchara," the ginger flavor was excellent, sweet and spicy, and the taste was very good. However, the presentation of both drinks was very ordinary. I would expect a more special presentation at this price point, because in Hong Kong, this price would get you many cocktails with excellent taste and eye-catching presentation. This is what I personally think could be improved.

In terms of service, the owner is very attentive. He proactively helped us with our wet umbrellas and coats and would occasionally come over to ask if the food was okay for each table. The waiters were all smiling, proactively clearing the dishes from the table, and even nodded proactively when we left. This is far superior to the service quality of other restaurants nearby. The only criticism is that when we were seated, no one showed us to our table, which felt very casual but could make guests feel a little confused. Also, the "in-house" complimentary appetizer was not briefly introduced, leading us to mistakenly believe that it was the scallops we ordered. This is what I think could be done better.

Finally, I would highly recommend this restaurant. It is a restaurant worth visiting! I was very satisfied with the food quality, service attitude, and price, making it a memorable dinner. PS: Thank you to the owner for the small glass...

Dear Mr Carlos, to be honest we are very much disappointed with your personal service, treating guests and not listening to guests. No price guidance, no listening to what guest wants, just making money. Yesterday we were at your place. I asked for some light dish preferably fish and you recommended fish plateau. I double checked if it is for one person as plateau are often served for 2 persons - you confirmed that it is going to be small - in reality a plate for two which we couldn’t make as my husband had his own dish … You gave no guidance on price and asked to trust you. After nice mussels I was served this plateau which is a mediocre oil fried fish for 1500 lira which doesn’t cost its money (nice margin) … we were surprised when we saw the check but it was too late to have that conversation with you as unfortunately you were already drinking with your friends at 1am which is probably normal … All morning I felt really sick after this dinner. It is important to understand that today people come not only for good food and its quality - they also come for experience and emotion. After your place I just feel scammed. For us your “selling behaviour” seems to be like in a tourist place when relaxed tourists are made advantage of and you just increase your own balance at our expense. We intentionally came to your place for great emotions, european vibe as it was our special day in the city and impression has been really spoiled. When we go to Michelin star / M Guide restaurants we spend a bit more but the difference is huge. I have no pleasure writing this post but this could have been avoided if you were more transparent and honest with your guests and would be not just a “high bill maker” suggesting dishes without price to give a surprise in the end. And check this plateau receipt - it is almost deep fried fish for 2 persons. PS Prosecco in the beginning had no bubbles at all. Thanks for two “fresh” glasses also … but this is the least disappointment. Sorry for that and I really hope you...

Before traveling to Istanbul, I watched Chef Carlos on Turkish television several times. I made a point of listing his restaurant as one of the excellent gastronomical experiences to try. I was walking around Pera and surprisingly found his restaurant. Unfortunately I had just eaten elsewhere and my trip to Istanbul was coming to an end. I was overjoyed to see him seated on the terrace. His staff were simply lovely and they called him over. I told him I was a Turkish foodie from NYC on a gastronomical adventure. He seemed like an absolutely lovely person. His steak au poivre and escargot is the talk and rave of the town. It’s really sad and disheartening to read rude and negative comments without giving constructive feedback. I usually tell restaurants in a polite manner what I think about the food and it’s received rather well. Carlos Bey keep your chin up and my regrets about not eating at your delightful restaurant. Inshallah when I return soon I look forward to savoring the baked camembert, onion soup, steak au poivre and escargots. To all those leaving negative reviews, our eiders teach us that if you have nothing nice to say don’t say anything. Giving reviews about food are very tricky. Everyone’s palate and knowledge about cuisine is very variable. Be courteous and treat others the way you would want them to treat you. Just because you paid to dine at the man’s restaurant doesn’t give you a right to insult him or his establishment. You chose to eat here at the end of the day. It’s so much easier and cowardly to insult people on a keyboard than be...