Mikla — Restaurant in Beyoğlu

Mikla. MONDAY 31st March 2025 - 1 MICHELIN Star 2025 Really good or just good. Canopies or amusing bouche Rice cracker with hummus & radish Wow this is so good the hummus is very good. Cracker with thick sticky jam. Soy. Beef prosciutto still juice steak like. Lovely the more you chew. Marinated Sea Bass raw bits tiny cucumber onions + with stunning watercress sauce. Hello taste buds cop a taste of that. Beautiful sweet fish with bitter of lettuce. Amazing combination. Delicious Here we go again. And this just the appetisers not on the menu. Red mullet on crack toast with this buttery creamy dip. Stunning simply stunning. The red mullet is so fresh it still has the sweetness from the flesh and fatty taste from the skin. How such a tiny morsel just incredible. TASTING Menu with Matching wines. Bread & Butter. Butter Olive Oil (Local) 5 cheese spread Sourdough delicious Bolet Mushroom Porcini like local mushroom. Rabbit, Mushroom Soup Wow the aroma is just amazing. Dried crispy mushrooms crackers rabbit fried mushrooms. The soup is buttery creamy deliciousness just right amount mushroom flavour. Rabbit and Mushrooms soup together is sweet beautiful Everything altogether it’s velvety smooth deliciousness. Beef Tenderloin, Frisee, Fig Vinaigrette, Basil & Walnut, Juniper & White Bean Paste 7 day salt aged beef hummus rock salt. The beef is so interesting. It’s a different and delicious flavour. A huge flavour of steak but subtle hits you. Creamy meat with creamy hummus pomegranate seeds. There is something just delicious about it but I can’t put my mind to it. Got it. It’s like tartar but has a deeper flavour due to the ageing. It is amazing meat. One photo shows how delightfully the loin is treated glistening in the light. Deep red flavour of deliciousness. Yummy loved it. Wow heaven. Charred Calamari Yedikule Lettuce (variety of Romaine lettuce), Tarator Sauce (Potato Walnut Garlic), Radish Sauce . Hello you had me at garlic. Aroma exciting. There is calamari then there is calamari cooked by a Michelin Star chef. Soft delicious spices are delightfully warming in the mouth. The charred lettuce adds really good texture and flavour with the seafood. The mousse is a great addition it gives soft mouth and subtle flavour. Look at the glistening calamari as it shimmies in the light. Grilled Fish Wild cabbage, Red Belly Bean, Coriander Sole Fish white beans roasted. Soft expertly cooked fish. Asparagus. Wild cabbage The combination: wild cabbage, young asparagus + another All charred to create a vibrant light are delicious With butter they soak to create this delicate delicious sauce and taste. Soft subtle delicate fish balanced perfectly with harmonious greens sauce. yummy. Braised Lamb Trakya Kivircik, Young Potato Cream, Chard, Sevketi Bostan, Sumac Loin lamb braised 9 hours in sumac Oh my gosh goodness So good. Everything together this is a very good dish. The lamb on its own is slightly dry. But still delicious amazing. The more I try the more I am not Michelin star. Dry lamb sauce runs out of flavour. Hmm not sure. That said altogether it’s a delicious dish. I think the final re heat has been way too high to get it warm quicker. I am enjoying it yet expected more. The mash and gravy with the lamb are driving this dish to an acceptable finish. Buffalo Yoghurt Blueberries, Cardamom & Raki Ah the Raki is in the blueberry soup like mix. Oh. Raki is Turkish traditional drink. It’s basically fire water. Read Oozo on steroids. Whack first time a blueberry has smacked me in the mouth. With the buffalo ice cream it becomes a delicious yet slightly rich dish. Nice. Service is exceptional. Each waiter perfectly in explaining dishes. It’s a shame I this image on my mind. I’m left with a feeling of excitement and some disappointment. The tasting menu ends on a flat note. Lamb not that perfect. Just...

Dining at Mikla in Istanbul was a truly remarkable and unforgettable experience — the kind that stays with you long after the evening ends. As a Michelin-recognized restaurant, expectations were high, but Mikla exceeded every single one of them with grace and brilliance.

The moment we stepped inside, we were welcomed into an atmosphere that radiates sophistication and charm. The panoramic view over Istanbul — especially as the sun sets and the city lights begin to sparkle — creates an absolutely magical backdrop. The ambiance strikes a perfect balance between modern luxury and warm intimacy, making it ideal for a special occasion or simply celebrating the joy of great food.

Speaking of food — every dish was a masterpiece. The tasting menu was meticulously curated, offering innovative flavors inspired by Anatolian heritage while maintaining a refined, contemporary approach. Each plate looked like art and tasted even better — layered, balanced, and bursting with creativity. You can truly sense the passion and expertise behind every element. It wasn’t just a meal; it was a culinary journey.

The wine selection deserves special praise. The list is thoughtfully built, showcasing both exceptional local wines and impressive international labels. With knowledgeable guidance, each pairing elevated the dishes beautifully and added depth to the experience.

But what truly made our dinner extraordinary was the impeccable service. Every member of the team was attentive, gracious, and genuinely passionate about what they do. A heartfelt thank you to the tall gentleman with the white beard who took such wonderful care of us throughout the evening. His warm presence, expertise, and personal touches made us feel so welcomed and transformed a superb meal into an unforgettable celebration.

Mikla is the definition of fine dining done right — breathtaking atmosphere, extraordinary cuisine, exceptional wine, and world-class hospitality. It is without question one of the best dining experiences in Istanbul, and we cannot wait to return. For those seeking something truly special, Mikla is an...

We visited this restaurant as a family of three with high expectations with the Michelin star rating. In short it does not deserve this accolade. Of course they had a chef once that achieved this status but the food does not show this skill at all nowadays. We love to visit well regarded restaurants when travelling and this restaurant was our first ever disappointment at this level. Soil, another Michelin star in Athens, a couple of weeks before, was a great experience for us. The flavours at Mikla were not developed, the combinations were dysfunctional. My fish was overcooked. There was no high level technique displayed - at most a super thinly sliced, transparent radish was the highest point of culinary skill. None of us ate our deserts after tasting them. Two of us had food poisoning afterwards from what we suspect was from the sushi amuse bouche. The restaurant was less than half full on a Friday night so obviously the locals know about the changes in the food. The view is exceptional. The service was good but not Michelin star - we were initially taken to a table that had poor cooling with a curtain next to us that was hot from the sunshine. It was an unpleasant place to sit. We did ask for another table and were taken to the view side of the restaurant where there were spare tables. This was a great improvement. After reading another review I agree that the senior managers are lacking - we were not asked about my uneaten fish or left deserts. I guarantee that this restaurant will not regain its star. The poor flavours relegate it to worse than suburban tavern. NB This is the worst review I have ever written for a restaurant - deservedly. Edit: all three of us now exhibit the sympyons of food poisoning. We cannot explore Istanbul as we had planned today Edit 2: To hear my son vomiting 24 hours after our meal at Mikla is...