Otantik Anadolu Yemekleri — Restaurant in Beyoğlu

We recently had lunch at Otantik Anadolu Yemekleri, and the experience was a mix of highs and lows. Here’s a breakdown of what we ordered:

Americano: A decent cup of coffee that complemented the meal well, though nothing extraordinary to rave about.

Ali Nazik: This was the highlight of the meal! The rich, smoky flavor of the eggplant purée paired perfectly with the tender, flavorful meat. Truly an authentic and delicious dish that left us impressed.

Lokum (Beef Steak): Unfortunately, this was the low point of the meal. The beef lacked seasoning, and the overall taste felt very bland. A pinch of salt or better seasoning would have elevated this dish.

Kaymaklı Künefe: Absolutely amazing! The perfect balance of sweetness, crunch, and the creamy kaymak made this dessert a winner. Definitely one of the best we’ve tried.

Complimentary Turkish Tea: A thoughtful touch to end the meal. The tea was aromatic and refreshing, rounding off the experience nicely.

The ambiance of the restaurant was warm and inviting, and the service was attentive. While there were a couple of misses, the standout dishes made it worth the visit.

Rating: 4/5 Would recommend for the authentic Turkish flavors, especially the Ali...

My friend and I visited the restaurant at the end of February. We entered by chance, we were greeted very kindly at the entrance, we were just as kindly seated and given the menu. Unfortunately that's where the good ends - it turned out that most of the menu had no prices, the waiter was rude and obviously didn't want to deal with us. We ordered güzleme with spinach, but I didn't dare to eat half of it. Unfortunately it was the worst I've ever tasted - too dry and tasteless and the spinach was bitter and hot. When the waiter came to take the plates, he asked us if everything was ok. When we told him we didn't like it, because is not good, he just turned and left. He didn't even ask what the problem was and what we didn’t like. We paid about 350 Turkish liras for 2 güzlme, 1 sütlyash, tea and fresh - I don't think the quality they offered us is worth what we paid. I have been visiting Turkey every year for almost 7 years and this is my third time in Istanbul and unfortunately this is the worst service and worst food I have ever...

The food is amazing, but be aware of the older guy with short beard. We visit Istanbul often and we love to eat here, but the guy is always trying to fool the customers. Some years ago he charged us double for the gozleme, even though the price on the menu was different from what we paid. He justified the “extra” saying that we asked for double filling, which wasn’t true. Today he tried to steal from us again, he took the money twice from the card, by saying that the PIN code was introduced too late. He said that the first time the money wasn’t withdrawn from the account. Good that I checked I the app and I saw that the money were actually withdrawn. We had to fight with him a lot to pay us back. He is always trying to scheme, so if he is around, be extra careful. Otherwise the guys working in the restaurant are very nice, not to mention the food that’s amazing. We go back for the food, even though the experiences with him weren’t the most...